AUSTRALIA STIRRED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 638, 15 April 1929, Page 1

AUSTRALIA STIRRED

STORY OF RESCUE WORLD-WIDE CONCERN SYDNEY, Sunday. Not since the armistice has any item of news stirred Australia as did the brief announcement that the Southern Cross had been found on Friday. The men who were on the air liner Canberra when the memorable discovery of the Southern Cross was made on Friday were: Captain Holden, Dr. Hamilton, Mr. Stannage, a wireless operator, two residents of Wyndham, Messrs. Lyall and Dunn, and an “Evening News” reporter, Mr. Davidson. Yesterday Mr. Davidson gave the world the first coherent account of the event. According to messages intercepted by Amalgamated Wireless, Ltd., Captain Holden, in the air liner Canberra, yesterday made a second visit to the stranded crew of the Southern Cross and dropped them 14 parcels of food and clothes, also fishing tackle, a revolver and ammunition. Many telegrams of congratulation from all parts of the world were also dropped. Then, seeing all was well with the party, the Canberra proceeded to Derby. Captain Holden’s message

added: “Kingsford Smith and his companions are now well on the way to being rescued, for while we were dropping provisions to them a West Australian Airways airplane flew up and made a landing on the mud flat near the Southern Cross.”

Later several messages were dispatched from Derby from the castaways. Apparently they were taken there by Captain Heath, pilot of the machine which landed alongside the Southern Cross yesterday.