PLANE DISASTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24738, 15 October 1941, Page 5

PLANE DISASTER

CRASH AT BATAVIA TWELVE PEOPLE KILLED DUTCH ARMY CHIEF INCLUDED BATAVIA, Oct. 13. Lieutenant-general G. J. Berenschot, commander-in-chief of the Netherland Indies Army since 1939, died this afternoon in an aircraft accident. The five occupants of the plane, including Wing Commander Watkins, of the Royal Air Force, were killed, and seven natives, occupants of a house on to which the plane crashed, were also killed. The left engine of the aircraft failed a few minutes after taking off from Batavia’s aerodrome, and the plane crashed on to a native house near the aerodrome. The plane burst into flames and set fire to the house. The blaze was so fierce that the fire brigade and rescue squads were unable to save any of the occupants of the aircraft. The bodies were completely charred. Lieutenant-general Berenschot could only be identified by the spurs he wore.

Only this morning Lieutenantgeneral Berenschot conferred with Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert BrookePopham. In view of the death of Lieutenant-general Berenschot, Majorgeneral Ter Poorten, chief of staff of the Netherland Indies Army, who arrived in Manila to-day to begin a series of talks with United States defence chiefs in the Philippines, has been asked to return immediately. Major-general H. L. Jaurer will be commander in charge of the Netherland Indies Army until Major-general Ter Poorten returns.

When a Netherlands naval aircraft crashed at Malang (Java) two members of the crew were killed and one injured. Five out of seven civilians struck by the plane were seriously injured.