Alive and Well on Mud-Flat

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 637, 13 April 1929, Page 1

Alive and Well on Mud-Flat

SOUTHERN CROSS MA YBE FLOWN OUT

How to Reach Flyers is Next Problem

(United r.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) Reed. 10.49 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. on a mud-flat in the middle of dense bush, 40 miles south ot the -Fort George IV. Mission, the four Southern Cross airmen, who have been missing for a fortnight in the wilds of North Western Australia, were yesterday found alive and well bv Captain L. Holden in the air-liner Canberra. Kingford Smith and his companions have spent the past 13 days keeping two fires burning, one on a lonely hill-top by the Glenelg Rnei . and the other near the Southern Cross on the river flat. A relief party may be dispatched from the Port George Mission. Meanwhile C aptain Holden has left the four airmen well supplied with food, medical stores, tobacco, and not the least important, mosquito nets.

■pLABORATE arrangements are being made tor the organisation ot rescue parties for the Southern Cross. The Wyndham and Derby organisations will be co-ordinated. If the plane is not seriously damaged. and it appears to be all right, it. may be possible to clear a space on the flats sufficient to permit it taking off from there to Wyndham. Otherwise salvage operations by water will be considered. it is understood that the Glenelg River is navigable by luggers for some distance from the sea, which may be (luite close to where the Southern Cross is lying. The air liner Canberra will be used for directing the salvage operation i from the air. An improvised r,\ less station will be erected at M The seaplane-carrier Alba.. oleared Sydney Heads at 12.34 p and is going at full speed northwrAlthough the men on board know th ■ aviators have been found the ship cannot turn back until she receives specific orders from the Navy Board. The Albatross carries six seaplanes and 20,000 gallons of petrol. FROM THE CANBERRA r CAPT. HOLDEN’S STORY DETAILS BY WIRELESS ustralian and N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY, Friday. The Canberra left Wyndham at 5.38 •m. to-day, local time, and not quite luo and ci-half hours later, having followed the course Captain Holden had determined upon yesterday, he signalled that he had found the missing monoplane. Captain Holden failed to find the airmen to the north of Prince Regent River and decided that it was possible they were lost in the country southwest of the Port George mission station. Amalgamated Wireless, Ltd., has supplied the following reports, intercepted from the Canberra: 9.8 a.m.: We have just sighted Mount Trafalgar and Mount Waterloo to the north of St. George’s Basin. We are still about 50 miles away. 9.22 a.m.: We are now crossing over Princess Mary’s ranges and should a Prince Regent River shortly. 9-37 a.m.: In five minutes we will cross the Prince Regent River at the point where it runs into St. George’s Rasin. We are on the way to the Port. George mission station to see if they can give us more definite information. 9.45 a.m.: After visiting Port George Hussion station we will search all the oays and inlets and as far as Cape Londonderry. BREAK IN MESSAGES A break occurs at this point and f “ en the message goes on, detailing ,tle Canberra's movements after the finding of the airmen. 11.15 a.m.: We have now left the Southern Cross and are about to pass ? v , er St. George’s Basin near Patrick Island. 11.33 a.m.: The Canberra confirms the finding of the Southern Cross. All Jne crew are alive. Have dropped foodstuffs. 11.34 a.m. (from the Canberra to the Darwin radio station): They must be eating. We have not seen them for a few minutes. We are dropping more food. 11.38 a.m. (by wireless from the Canberra to the Southern Cross>: If you! can hear us, walk out into the open ground, Mac. 11-47 a.m.: Found the crew of the' Southern Cross alive and all well. ; Their position is south of the Port Cieorge mission station on a mud flat, j FLEW ROUND LOST ’PLANE H-5S a.m.: Can see the whole crew bow. All are safe. 1- 9 p.m. Darwin time: The Can- i oerra is still flying around the Southern Cross. 12.10 p.m. (radio from the Canberra): Advise the families of Smith, L’lm. Litchfield and McWilliam that lhe airmen are well. They have plenty °f water, as they have a good creek running near them. The Canberra then climbed higher in j order to mark accurately the position °* the Southern Cross. Then came the next message: 12.30 p.m. (radio !rom the Canberra) : it is approximately on the glenelg River, about 20 miles from Georg* Water*.

2.15 p.m.: At a height of 4,000 ft and a speed of 90 miles an hour we are on an easterly course for Wyndham. We have just passed Lawry River. Our bushmen are not feeling very well owing to the humps. The Canberra arrived back at Wyndham at 3.53 p.m. local time.

try, the desolate, rugged character of which had made a continuance of hope seem almost impious. The first message came from the Darwin wireless station to Amalgamated Wireless, Limited’s, station at La Perouse. It was timed 11.31 a.m., Darwin time, the equivalent of 12.1

RELATIVES OVERJOYED

“NEVER LOST HOPE” MRS. ULM’S VIVID DREAM (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY, Friday. Kingsford Smith’s parents, who have been quietly confident all the past fortnight, were overjoyed on learning of their son’s safety. An Australian Bag and a Union Jack now flutter above their home at Lane Cove and they were busy all this afternoon greeting friends and receiving congratulations. Mrs. Ulm said she dreamed this morning that she saw her husband who told her the natives had helped the party with food. “He offered, me a handful of green berries,” said Mrs. Ulm. “He had a map of Australia in his hand and started to point to a place north of Derby. I never lost hope. They have had such experience that I knew they would fight to the last. Charles always told me not to worry. Life was too sweet to him to give it up without a big fight.” The relatives of the airmen are receiving congratulatory messages from all quarters. Among the first were telegrams from the Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, the Premier of New South Wales, Mr. Bavin, and the Labour Party leaders. RE JOICING IN SYDNEY CITY RINGS WITH CHEERS FLYERS NATIONAL HEROES fAustralian and N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY, Friday. "The Southern Cross has been found, and all the crew are well.” This thrilling news spread like wildfire just before 1 p.m. to-day, but the people, mindful of the many false rumours current for the past week, were for a time incredulous. When the appearance of newspaper notices confirmed the glad tidings a great sigh of content and thankfulness arose. Everybody rejoiced that the intrepid adventurers had survived their 12 days’ isolation ill the wilds of a coun-

p.m. Sydney time, and read as follows: Captain Les. Holden, pilot of the air liner Canberra, signals: “Have found the Southern Cross. All O.K. All the airmen are alive. Have dropped food. Details later." The finding of the men who had become national heroes was the sole topic of conversation, and when the various editions of the newspapers appeared they were eagerly snapped up for the sake of such additional details as they contained. MESSAGE CONFIRMED A special message to the New Zealand Press Association from Perth at 10.45 a.m., or 12.45 p.m. Sydney time, briefly confirmed the report. It added: The missing men were found 40 miles from the Port George mission station. All are well. Food has been dropped to them. Remarkable scenes w r ere witnessed at many places in Australia to-day when the news of the finding of the flyers became known. The usual solemnity of the Sydney Stock Exchange, where brokers were immersed in financial calculations, was suddenly broken by an outburst of cheering and business was forgotten. At the Congress of the Nationalist Party, w'hen Mr. Bavin announced the news, prolonged cheers were given for Captain Holden. There were similar scenes at sports gatherings. One of the most pleased men in Sydney is Mr. F. B. Eager, part owner of the Canberra, who was one of the prime movers in arranging for Captain Holden’s search. The Secretary of the Defence Department, Mr. Malcolm L. Shepherd,

speaking in Melbourne this afternoon, said the finding of the crew of the Southern Cross justified the optimism of Colonel Brinsmead, Controller of Civil Aviation, that they would be found in the neighbourhood of Port George on one of the mud flats there-’ abouts. Mr. Shepherd said it seemed that the method of transporting the aviators from the flats must be worked out by the men on the spot. However, the department would co-operate. SEARCH FOR ANDERSON BACKER NOT ANXIOUS (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) SYDNEY, Friday. Mr. J. Cantor, of Sydney, Lieutenant Keith Anderson's backer, says he is confident that the airman, who has not been heard of for two days, is safe. His plan of search for the Southern Cross would take him well out of the way of communications. “ Although Lieutenant Anderson had instructions to report to-day his objective was to enter the search area from the south-east of the Kimberley region and to obtain information from cattle stations before proceeding further. The Minister of Defence, Sir William Glasgow, to-day conferred with the Aviation Department at Melbourne about the possibility of arranging a search for Lieutenant Anderson and his mechanic, Hitchcock. It is known that after leaving Alice Springs, South Australia, at 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday they reached Woodford. 100 miles further on. They then continued on the direct route to Wyndham. No further news has been received of them. Two Royal Australian Air Force machines have left Point Cook, Melbourne, for Alice Springs, where their crews will begin a search for Lieutenant Anderson. RELIEF OVERSEAS CONFIDENCE IN AIRMEN (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) LONDON, Friday. The welcome news that the crew of the Southern Cross have been found

was received in London first through the Central News, Sydney, at 3 a.m. to-day. The Australians in the metropolis never wavered in the belief that the airmen would be found. The Press had displayed the utmost concern since their disappearance. A message from Vancouver says that the news of the finding of the Southern Cross party caused general rejoicing there. Many citizens remember Kingsford Smith. RUNS THE NOR’WEST COLONEL WHO SERVED WITH NEW ZEALANDERS DIRECTING RESCUE WORK The resident magistrate at Broome, who was pu.t in complete charge of the search Xor the Southern Cross, was well known to many New Zealand soldiers. He is Colonel W. O. Mansbridge, and

was with, or connected with, the New Zealand forces throughout the Great War. He was at the “landing,” and there got his “issue,” and was invalided back. Making a quick recovery, he took the 44th Battalion to France, and was with the 16th, 4th Brigade, finally making up the Net/ Zealand Division under the command of General Godley. Concerning the New Zealand forces, he recently wrote to a friend in New Zealand: “I have great admiration fpr your boys. They certainly were not afraid to die, and for discipline in and out of the line they set a great example.” PIDGIN-ENGLISH The job of a resident magistrate in Australia is something unique. in criminal cases he has the powers of a New Zealand judge. Colonel Mansbridge, having been in the north-west for many years, knows the native pidgin-English, which is freely embellished with lurid expressions, fairly well. In a recent case at Wyndham criminal courts, he had before him a counsel from Perth, who asked a black witness: “Do you mean to insinuate that my witness is telling a falsehood?” The magistrate had to intervene and assist the black to understand. “You bin tinkit he tellum b lie?” he inquired. “No damn fear!” was the immediate reply. Colonel Mansbridge is held in some esteem. The opinion of one Aucklander is that if he were sent to Samoa with two black trackers and two I clerks, he would run the territory quite | nicely,, and release a lot of clerks and n army of police.