KILLED IN ENGLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21249, 1 August 1932, Page 10

KILLED IN ENGLAND

NEW ZEALAND AIRMAN FATE OF W. J. PHARAZYN LONDON. July 2!) Flying-Officer Teter W. J. Pharazyn, of New Zealand, was killed when a Wapiti day bomber crashed near Canterbury. Mr. R. Ramsay, airman, gave evidence at tho inquest that while he and his wife and daughter were dining, he saw an aeroplane descending. Then it rose and ho hoard a crash and saw tho tail disappearing among tho branches of a tree. He rushed to tho aeroplane, which was burning fiercely. Ho was of opinion that Pharazyn had encountered a sharp "bump" over the tree. A doctor gave evideneo that death was due to head injuries before incineration. Flying-Officer G. N. Warrington said that Pharazyn was an experienced flier and was not likely to tako unnecessary risks. Probably he was struck by a down draught and brought too low to "clear tho tree. A verdict of accidental death was returned. Flying-Oflicer Pharazyn was a member of a New Zealand family with branches in Blenheim and Wellington. Ho was attached to No. 501 Bomber Squadron, stationed at Bristol, and was not a permanent R.A.F. officer, his squadron being a special reserve unit. There are at present about 200 New Zealanders in tho Royal Air Force, and although about 60 to 80 men are accidentally killed each year, Flying-Officer Pharazyn was the only Dominion pilot to meet his death in R.A.F. work for over two years. There are three types of squadron in the Royal Air Force, permanent units, auxiliary or territorial units, and tho special reserve, tho officers of which are comprised of about a third permanent .men and the balance special recruits who do three months' training each year. Each summer tho bomber squadrons go into camps stationed near a convenient bombing range, and it is probable that FlvingOfficer Pharazyn was stationed at Manston, a well-known R.A.F. bombing camp near Bristol. The Wapiti is a two-seater biplane built by tho Westlaiul Aircraft Works. It is powered with a singlo " Jupiter" engine, and is widely used for bombing. Wapitis form a considerable part of the equipment of the Royal Australian Air Force.