SCENE AT DEPARTURE.
A ROUSING SEND-OFF. FIVE THOUSAND SPECTATORS. (Received June 23, 12.45 a.m.) LONDON. Juno 24. Fi'vo thousand people waited for three hours at Portmarnock beach and accorded tho Southern Cross a rousing send-oil. Soldiers with fixed bayonets had guarded the monoplane all night. The engines were started an hour before tho departure, and when they wero warmed up tho machine took off with a 1500 yards' run, then dipped to salute tho crowd and headed out to sea. Each occupant of tho Southern Cross was equipped with a collapsible pneumatic lifebelt and oaeh had a ration of six sandwiches, a piece of cheese, half a pound of chocolate, a quart of coffee and a flask of whisky. Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith carried a mascot —a gold plaquo in tho form of a four-leaf shamrock, tho gift of the Governor-General's wife. If tho engines should fail Kingsford Smith will be able suddenly to release tho petvol and hopes tho monoplane would float for hours.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19300625.2.76
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20599, 25 June 1930, Page 11
Word Count
164SCENE AT DEPARTURE. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20599, 25 June 1930, Page 11
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