“PAINFULLY SLOW”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 532, 8 December 1928, Page 13

“PAINFULLY SLOW”

AIRMAN’S IMPRESSION OF STEAMFR TRIP mr. t. h. McWilliams back (Bpecial to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. To Mr. T. H. McWilliams, wireless operator of the Southern Cross, the journey across the Tasman by steamer after two crossings by air seemed painfully slow. He told a Sun reporter as much on his arrival at Christchurch, where he is spending a few days’ holiday while awaiting a telegram from FlightLieut. Ulm telling him of the airmen’s future plans. His ambition at the moment, having been granted on honorary commission in the New Zealand Air Force, is to qualify to wear a pilot’s wings. “I’m just having a little holiday,” said Mr. McWilliams, who looked brown, and very fit. “There is a probability that the Southern Cross may be flown from Honolulu to America, though nothing definite had been decided about that. If there are any more flights, I will be going again as wireless operator, and Litchfield will be the navigator. “The arrangement is that as soon as anything definite about the proposed flight is decided on I will be cabled for. “Kingsford Smith and Ulm have definitely decided to go to America. The newspapers have also mentioned that they may go to England.” SECOND TRIP BEST In spite of the fact that the trip from Blenheim to Sydney took so much longer than the journey across the Tasman the first time, Mr. McWilliams declared that it was not nearly such an uncomfortable one. “We were all very tired,” he said, “for it was solid plugging all the way; but wasn’t nearly so bad as the trip across, when we ran into conditions that were absolutely frightful. All the radio gear was working well, too, for we didn’t strike any lightning as on the way over. “I had a great time over there. I have always liked New South Wales, but I am glad to be back in New Zealand. The trip over in the steamer did seem painfully slow, though. “I was very pleased with the honour the Government did us by giving us commissions in the New Zealand Air Force. The next thing I want to do is to qualify for my ‘wings.’ I hope I’ll be able to manage it,” he said. After three or four days in Christchurch, Mr. McWilliams will visit friends at Waipara, and then hopes to go to Auckland, if he has time to do so before he is summoned to help carry the history of " the Southern Cross a chapter or two further on.

TREASURED WINGS

MON CRIEFF’S BADGE WAS WORN BY ULM (Special to THE SUN) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. When the Southern Cross flew back across the Tasman, from Blenheim to Sydney, Flight-Lieut. C. T. I \ Ulm wore a pair of wings which had once belonged to Captain J. R. Moncrieff, who perished, in an attempt to fly the Tasman in January. These were lent to him by StaffSergeant S. Simpson, of Wigram airdrome, to whom Captain Moncrieff had given them. The wings have just been ■eturned to Sergeant Simpson by Ulm. “I am returning herewith the wings which belonged to the late Captain Moncrieff, and which I brought over with, me from New Zealand.” wrote Flight-Lieutenant Ulm, in a letter to Sergeant Simpson. After thanking him for the loan of the wings, FlightLieutenant Ulm sent his regards to all his friends in the New Zealand Permanent Air Force. Staff-Sergeant Simpson lent Ulm the wings, which Captain Moncrieff had given him, when he first passed his tests as a pilot. They are now perhaps Sergeant Simpson’s most treasured possession.