AIR RACE VICTIMS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19940, 26 October 1934, Page 6

AIR RACE VICTIMS

ITALIAN TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright FOGGIA, October 24

Two coffins covered with Union ) Jacks, containing the bodies of Flying- j Officer H. D. Gilman and Flight- ! Lieutenant J*. K. C. Baines were carried on the shoulders of Italian Air Force j members through the streets, preceded J by the municipal band, and followed j by the Prefect of Foggia, heralds bear- j tag the municipal banners, and many j citizens. The coffins were entrained for [ Naples, where the funeral will take | place in the British cemetery on Friday. Village Sympathy. It is clear that Messrs Gilman and Baines were killed instantly before the machine caught fire. One was killed | as a result of terrible head injuries, i and the other as a result of a fractur- j ed spine. The watchman in charge of the field, seeing them making for the landing ground, signalled indications regarding the best method of landing. The wind was blowing hard from the north-east, Bnd it was raining. When the ’plane was 60 yards from the ground the pilot looked out to observe the weather vane. The machine swept sideways to 90 yards off the ground, when it sideslipped, and crashed. The watchman and others rushed to the plane, but the ground was so swampy that they sank up to their knees. It was impossible to move the bodies until 4 p.m., though the crash occurred | at 8 a.m. Thousands of villagers assembled at the local church to pay their last ] respects to the dead airmen. Masses of flowers from village gar- I dens and wild flowers picked by chil- j dren were placed on the coffins, over which flies the Italian flag. HOLLAND DEEPLY MOVED SOLEMN SILENCE AMIDST REJOICING United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, October 24. The British United Press corre- j spondent at Amsterdam says that there j was a touching scene in the streets j to-day. Thousands gathered and j enthusiastically cheered the Douglas ’plane, which finished second in the air race. When somebody in the crowd called for a minute’s silence in remembrance of Messrs Gilman and Baines, the celebrations were immediately suspended for a minute, the police and soldiers ! stiffly saluting.