MOUNTAINEER KILLED
CAUGHT IN AVALANCHE Christchurch, August 16. Caught in an avalanche at the head of Burnett Stream, while crossing from the Waimakariri basin to the Wilberforce basin in the Southern Alps. Flying Officer Bruce Banfield, of R.N.Z.A.F. Station Hare wood, was killed at about 11.30 a.m. yesterday. Banfield, who was 23 years old and whose relatives live at Rangiora. was a member of a climbing party which left Carrington Hut yesterday morning. The other members of the party were K. Douglas, R. M. King, and I. Wilkinson, Canterbury College students. The party crossed the White Col, which is about 5800 feet above sea level, into tfie valley of the Burnett Stream. On the steep slopes of the Col three members of the party were caught in the avalanche, leaving King at the top of the slope. Banfield, Wilkinson and Douglas were carried down about 1500 feet by the moving mass of snow. Wilkinson and Douglas struggled, free and were joined by King. They then made a fruitless search for Banfield, but found only his ice axe. The survivors then made their way down to Glen* thorne station in the Wilberforce Valley, about 16 miles from the scene of the accident, arriving at the station at midnight last night. This morning they communicated ,w i‘h the Christchurch police and the Canterbury Mountaineering Club and search party was organised to try t‘ > find Banfield’s body. The party will work in relays, some being camped -if Glenthornc and others at Big Hill. Unless Banfield’s body is found before, the party will not return till Saturday. Banfield, who was married only four months ago, was a well-known member of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club. He was an experienced mountaineer and was considered to have an expert knowledge of snow conditions. —P.A.
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Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 17 August 1944, Page 4
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297MOUNTAINEER KILLED Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 17 August 1944, Page 4
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