ROSS-SMITH AT SINGAPORE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17734, 6 December 1919, Page 10

ROSS-SMITH AT SINGAPORE

SYDNEY, Dec. 5

Captain Ross-Smith cables from Singapore on the 4th iust: We left Bangkok on the second at 7 o'clock, and arrived at Singapore at 1 p.m. We were escorted for the first fifty miles by four Siamese machines. Our course lay south along the yast coast of Malay. For the first two hours the weather was good, but then a heavy monson rain was met. The wind was strong and changeable, sometimes helping and sometimes against us. It was necessary to fly at 500 feet for three hours, following the coast. We were almost blinded by rain, but the country was impossible for landing, and we had to continue. They were the worst flying conditions I have ever encountered. The landing at Singora was bad and stumpy. We had to land in a cross wind on a small, dry patch, but got safely down with luck. Later, while taxing, the. machine tail skid caught the boot and broke the fitting. The damage was not serious, but it was decided that owing to the weather we would be unable to reach Singapore without more petrol. We wired to Penang to send a supply urgently. During tht night ! there were heavy squalls and the I crew held the machine all night. On December 3rd there was torrential rain, with wind. We repaired the skid. The crew were wet through working at the machine all day, but cheerful. The patrol arrived in the evening, but it was raining too hard to put it in. The 4th was my birthday. The weather was bad, but it was decided to try for Singapore. We left Singora.at 10 o'clock and arrived at Singapore at 5 o'clock. The take off at Singora was very rough but convicts had cleared the stumps from the aerodrome. It was very wet in patches, but we got off luckily in a crbss wind and rain, which continued all the way. We flew at 2000 to 5000 feet all the way. We had a great reception at Singapore by a huge crowd. We hope to reach Java on the 6th and Darwin on the 10 th. The Vimy crew are well.