VICTIMS OF AIR CRASH

Southland Times, Issue 23817, 15 May 1939, Page 8

VICTIMS OF AIR CRASH

PROMISING CAREERS ENDED AIRCRAFTSMAN WEST FIRST MAORI ACCEPTED Leading Aircraftsman G. H. West, who died from injuries suffered in the Air Force crash at Wigram on Thursday night was the first Maori to be accepted as a member of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. His death ended a promising career. Born in Bluff Leading Aircraftsman West was the eldest son of Mr George West, of Invercargill, and formerly of Bluff, and the late Mrs West. At the Bluff Public School, and at the Southland Technical College where he completed Ibis education, he showed great promise, being by nature studious. While at Technical College he won a scholarship which entitled him to train as an air pilot. At that time no Maori was permitted to enter the Air Force and it was not until 1935 that this restriction was relaxed and he was accepted. Leading Aircraftsman West had the distinction of being the first Maori in the Dominion to join the Air Force. He was also a member of the New Zealand Maori Choir which toured Australia about five years ago. After his return from the Commonwealth and, until joining the Air Force, he was employed by Cable and Company, an engineering firm in Wellington. Reference to the death of Leading Aircraftsman West was made by Mr A. E. Wixon at a meeting of the Bluff Sub-Association of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association on Saturday night. It was decided to send a letter of sympathy to his relations. PILOT OFFICER DAWSON Pilot Officer W. F. Dawson, who also died from injuries, was the second son of Mr A. C. Dawson, postmaster at Balclutha, and was educated at the South Otago High School, where he gained his matriculation certificate. Leaving school, he joined the staff of the Bank of New Zealand at Balclutha as a junior clerk. He was a very promising youth and a successful career in the bank appeared to be assured. He qualified for admission to the Royal New Zealand Air Force and enrolled for training at Wigram, where he gained a pilot’s certificate and for some time was employed on the ground engineering staff at the aerodrome. Latterly he had been an instructor. He would have been 21 years old next August. Pilot Officer Dawson was given a military funeral at the Waimairi Cemetery yesterday. Acting Pilot Officer McCorie will be accorded a military funeral at Wanganui today, and Leading Aircraftsman West will be buried at Bluff this afternoon. MEMBERS OF STAFF OFFER BLOOD EFFORT TO SAVE LIVES OF VICTIMS AT WIGRAM (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, May 13. In an endeavour to save the lives of their two comrades who were badly burned in the air crash at Wigram aerodrome on Thursday night, a number of members of the staff of the Air Force rushed to the hospital to give blood transfusions. Seven donors of each blood type offered their services and the blood of those suitable was used. Altogether there are more than 20 of the staff at Wigram among the 200 donors enrolled with the North Canterbury branch of the National Blood Transfusion Service, which in the last year has been responsible, according to doctors dealing with the cases, for the saving of between 30 and 40 lives.