TWELVE LIVES LOST

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23259, 21 July 1945, Page 5

TWELVE LIVES LOST

Transport Plane Crashes Disaster At Sydney By Telegraph—N Z. Press Assn.— Copyright 'Rec. 7.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 20. Twelve lives were lost when an R.A.F. Transport Command plane crashed soon after taking off from Mascot Aerodrome last night. The crew of six and six passengers were killed instantly. The crash was the worst air disaster which has occurred in Sydney. The machine, after striking a clump of trees, crashed into a concrete bridge over Cook's River. A terrific explosion shook the neighbourhood. Residents two miles away said that their houses trembled and doors and windows rattled. Some eye-witnesses said that the plane exploded in the air. but generally it is thought that the explosion occurred when the craft struck the tree tops, which were cut off. There were no Australians aboard Eleven of the bodies were recovered last night, some of them being almost unrecognisable. The body of the twelfth victim lies under the water in Cook's River. The cause of the accident is unknown. Immediately the plane crashed it burst into flames and wreckage burned for several hours. Heroic efforts were made by civilians and three firemen, who were among the first to arrive, to bring the bodies to the bank of the river into which they had been thrown. One man dragged three bodies from the wreckage before he collapsed, stunned by an exploding flare. About 5000 persons walked or travelled in cars to the scene of the crash last night. Passengers Were Naval Officers (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. July 20. The Commander-in-chief of the British Pacific Fleet. Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, announced that the following were passengers in the R.A.F. Transport Command plane which crashed at Mascot last evening:—Captains J. G. Roper, R.N., J. D. Harvey, R.N., Commanders (W.P.) L. L. E. R. Govett, R.N.V.R., J. E. Bass, R.N.V.R., Lieuten-ant-Commander H. P. Byrne, R.N., Surgeon-Lieutenant C. Nolan, R.N.V.R., Leading Steward E. Morris. Admiral Fraser has written to Mr G. Knowles, of Sydney, who made heroic efforts to rescue the occupants of the burning plane, thanking him on behalf of the Navy for his gallant action and disregard o’f personal safety.