DARING FLIGHT

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXV, Issue 3265, 5 February 1935, Page 5

DARING FLIGHT

PILOT'S RACE AGAINST TIME CAMBRIDGE BOY SUCCEEDS When Fred Griffith left Cambridge three years ago as a lad of IS years to take up flying in England, he did not think that in a couple of years his photograph would be featured in the leading Irish daily together with a lone story of his deeds. But such is •the'ease, "for Mr Griffith, who is now a flying instructor at Kildonan Aerodrome, Ireland, the home of his birth, achieved fame in carrying pictures of the Royal wedding from England to Ireland under most trying conditions and in record time. Mr Griffith is a son of Mr S. Griffith and the late Mrs Griffith, of Thornton Road, Cambridge, and a brother of Mr S. Griffith, who plays football for the United Club. He came to New Zealand from Ireland at the age of 12. years and completed his education at the Cambridge High School. Three years ago he left, for England to enter the Air Force and is to be congratulated on the success he has achieved. •.:•.-■?.-..,-•■ The story ox his recent experiences is contained in the following article taken from the Irish-^imes:. The flight of the ; photographs for the Irish-'Times -i*om London td Dublin was full of dramatic incident. Mr F.W. Griffith, the accomplished young, pilot of .fhe Everson Air Services, Kildonan, had flown-across from Kildonan to 'Heston, near Hounslow, on Wednesday, and had arranged with a representative of the Irish Times that he should receive the photographs at one o'clock by tho latest, as he would need to bo In Dehliri/before dark. Hounslow ia : a long way from Fleet Street, arid, in view of the fact that a largo portion of London was closed entirely to traffic' of all. kinds, special plans had to lie' made in order to get the photographs rushed to the airport. Even in tho most favourable conditions, tho task would not have been easy; but the heavy fog that covered; London made it exceedingly ' difficult. At. Heston airport in the morning the visibility was not..more than fifty yards and Mr* Griffith was unable to sen across the aerodrome. In town conditions were almost equally bad; but, by a miracle of organisation, the agency that supplied the photographs was able to deliver the prints to.our representative in less than an hour after the plate:: had been exposed. Out representative then had to get from Fleet Street to. Heston in. the shortest possible space of time. He had covenanted to meet. Mr Griffith at one o'clock, but the fog delayed everything, and it was nearly a quarter past one when he came dashing in to the aerodrome, where Mr Griffith had Ms Fox Moth in readiness. The aerodrome was covered with the weather reports stated rfoat matters would be still worse over the Midlands; but, although. Mr Griffith was advised not to start" ho determined to take the chance and took off at about 1.30.

Blind Plying His flight through England was uneventful, inasmuch as lie was able to seo nothing. He flew, virtually Wind all the way, steering a course via Lei-, coster in order to avoid the dense fogs of the Birmingham district. On the way his compass, on which he was depending almost entirely, began to "wander." He reckoned that he was in the neighbourhood of Liverpool, but could see nothing and was unable to pick up Speke Aerodrome. However, he managed to pick up the coast line, and after some difficulty, landed safely at Spekt?. Here mechanics and ground staff were waiting for him, and after having dispatched a telegram, Mr Griffith was soon off again. He know that he was cutting matters very fine, as it was after three o'clock when he arrived at, Speke, and it still was a long way to Dublin. He was determined, however, to get. through with the photographs, and was reported to have passed Holyhead shortly after four o'clock. Anxious Watchers Dusk was falling rapidly, and some of those who wore waiting anxiously at; Kildonan began if the pilot could complete his trip before it would be too dark to land at the aerodrome. In anticipation of his failure, arrangements were made at Baldonnel to light flares; but his comrades at Kildonan never doubted his ability to deliver the goods. One of them announced at about 4.35 that "Griffith will be here in a few minutes now." He took a motor car on to the aerodrome and flashed its lights as a guide to the expected pilot. By this time it was all but dark, and the watchers were beginning to fear that Mr Griffith would have to land at Baldonnel after all, when suddenly through the falling night came .the welcome hum of an aeroplane, and sharp at 4.40, almost at the second at which his friends expected him, Mr Griffith appeared, flying very low, over

the trees that guard to aerodrome. He made a perfect landing, having completed a dangerous and adventuresome journey in almost record time> - and when he had handed over the photographs, sat down to a cup of tea as nonchalantly as if he had just returned from a tram ride to Howth. The Everson Air Services man had been put to a test that would have tried the nerve of any pilot, and he emerged . from it with conspicuous success. Photographers Hampered In London the Avork of the photographers was hampered by the dense fog and also by the immense crowds,'; but. the splendid organisation of the photographic agencies surmounted what appeared to be almost an impossibility. Although the wedding ceremony did not begin until 11 o'clock, aN the prints were ready by 12.15. A krush was then made for the underground at Holborn. The pictures were taken to Shepherd's Bush, and thence by motor car to Heston, a distance of over a dozen miles away. Here Mr Griffith was waiting, and within a couple of minutes of giving the all-clear he was soaring over -th.e aerodrome and was soon lost to viewin the fog. / ,