COMMANDER BYRD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3881, 31 July 1928, Page 35

COMMANDER BYRD.

PREPARATIONS FOR ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. THE VALUE OF AERIAL “ STUNTS. By M. E. Lilly. (Photographs in This Issue.) When I saw Commander Byrd in hirooms at the Hotel Biltmore, New York city, he was surrounded by sledges, food samples, ski-boots, and other articles o: equipment for an Antarctic expedition, which may last two years. He had spent the morning in consultation with dog team drivers about sledges and dogs,—these dogs will come from Labrador and will be the. pick o. a pack of 100. A large whaling shi will be used to carry the ’planes, and part of the supplies, to New Zealand. Special cameras are being made for him which will enable him to photograph stretches several hundred miles long and 20 miles wide. He will also be pro vided with apparatus which will measure the depth of the ice accurately Spei-i: radio equipment is also being built am will be so complete that his -plane will be in touch with the base at all times. Fifty-eight will make up the personnel of the expedition, and these have been chosen from thousands of applicants. “ But what’s the sense in all these reckless Bights? ” I asked. Byrd smiled. “ Well, ii you reason it out. you wi! see these ‘ stunts ’ add to human know ledge and spread control of the earth bj mankind, but I think the real value lies in sort of keeping things moving—egging other fellows on to do «oriicthii> o bigger.” Richard Evelyn Byrd was born in Virginia 39 years ago—from a familv established for three centuries in America. His father was a successful lawyer, his mother a Southern beauty. Of theb. sons, Tom. Dick, and Harry, one is now Governor of Virginia, a second is a grower of line apples and pedigree cattle. “d- i. j C £’ ,-P er haps the most famous Richard since Cceur de Leon with 20 years service in the United States Nra North Pole flight, and an Atlantic Nev York to Pafis “hop” to his credit, and now so busy preparing for what we al.' hope will be a successful South Pole night. At 12 “ Dick ” Byrd was just a normal, bright-eyed youngster, but he had one unique trait, —he wanted to see his boyisl day dreams realised, and he had a burnmg desire to see if all that geography said was true. To this end, he took trip round the world alone. lie enter ed Annapolis Naval Cadet College, and in 1912 graduated a an ensign in the United States Naw A foot injured in the Naval gymnasium later compelled him to give up active duty. this was a terrible blow to tin young naval officer. We vyas “ retired ” and for a while settled into a slough o' despond. Wherever h e went, the stigma of physical incapacity was laid upon hi: and his career was in ruins. vtr Y - ntl l al!y ’ aft:e r much pleadin" Washington put him on active duty as a “student aviator.” - . “ That was 12 years ago,” he said, and since that day he ha's never been off duty. Furthermore, he fought in the war as a naval aviator, and was citeu for heroism and “ extraordinary valour ’ no fewer than 22 times. Yet for a" these grand acts, he has no Napoleonic eccentricities about him. There is a charming Mrs Byrd and there are four little Byrds, from a tiny baby to Richard, junior, a serious boy as befits a child who’s father makes history tor a living. -Modest and generous, an idealist, and not without sentiment, with a fixity o; purpose, from which neither fame nor gain can swerve him, no wonder America is proud of -Richard Evelyn- Byrd “ a very gallant gentleman.”