A HERO.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13645, 10 February 1913, Page 5

A HERO.

O&pi^i-n Patrick Hamilton, of jfcko Royal B'iying Corps at Home,, who losfe hi« ' lii'o- in an aeroplane accident last year was,the son of a soldier,;,andithreo of his brothers fell/in the South African war. Moving become convinced ttbat aviation- was necessary to hie country, Captain Hamilton threw himself into it heart and soul. He epenlf ©very penny he could afford, in the servico, flew, in his own machine, and ,gayo "up his eportg and hobbies for the sake of liis new career. Captain Hamilton 'knew no fear, unlees it was that ono day h© should know it. "There was only one thing which Mould have jstopt>ed him," writes his sister in her memoir of him —"had his mother asked for 3ior 6dke that he would, but that was not her way. He said, 'It has got to - .ooui©, and,we hare got to cu> it. 5 " Writing to his sister on one •;.■.'-c-asioa he thus describes an accident which all but cost him his life. "I started off at 4.30 p.m., mid landed safely.on the golf links fit the place arranged. J started off again, but us soon as I got over the electric wire shown in tho photograph (referring, to one enclosed in the letter), my right wing gob into a fearfully bad air-pocket and dropped right down. I warped and did every-■ thing possible, but failed to right tho machine, and she turned; completelyover in the air, not tail overhead, Inrfc literally over ; the right-sving dropping, and th<2 left going up. Having turned upside, down, mysolf still on board, and £be. engine, runniun: f .'il'-tJIt; sho struck th^g'round on the n';&;•■ -^f the machine hi cliout an 'angle of ■'" -cleg. When w ! fctm-ck, jny legs oaugirb in the bridge, j :in,d>.- >3'iickily held, lv.c there, and 3 wafched tinfoil and petrol pcniring o.ui) of .tho "tank, and wondered if it wao 'spin* "to fire, biit/'nothing-, lianppneo,. and.by tiG tim-a' I rnalisod 1.-.was net m ariothor world, I-' jcrftwlcd <>nt. ami .started looking- over :*.h.o 'wrctkf.: anrl t-heu began .to realise.l'd had. about tho most wonderful, escape anyone cbuM /posAJbly■ ■■ have.''.;;;-He.-.vwaiS;-: pleased;. to fiswl- that, -(li'spite;such a fall,"Jiis >vsfe.-as goodjais' ©vicr: ■ '<. ."■■ '■■■■.■} ','5,/ //:/': :.■; '