TWENTY-ONE" YEARS OF FLYING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 35, 4 November 1937, Page 4

TWENTY-ONE" YEARS OF FLYING

Squadron-Leader T. W. White Honoured MEDAL PRESENTED The long and»cr edita ble ■ eonnection of Squadron-Leader T. W. ("Tiny") White with the commcrcial side of fiying in New Zealand is well known. He was at one time stationed in "Hast* ingst being club instructor *for the Hawke's Bay and East Coast.Aero Club an-d shared in the development of civil aviation in this district. Last week" Squadron-Leader White completed 21 years of flyiDg, and this afternoon he received froin the hands jf the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, at Palmerston North, au award uot previously secured by a New Zealand pilot, so far as is known. He is the only liolder in the Dominiou, ut least, of the Air Efficiency Medal, for which he has qualified by his lodgjyeara of crash-f rce aviation. Actually, the medal was awarded nearly two years ago, but the opportunity of presenting the medal had not previously occurred. The faet that the Governor-General was present in Palmerston North for the Royal Show, and

that Squadron-Leader White visited that centre in the course of his piloting duties made possible^the function. It is understood that the presentation is uaually made by the direct representa- i cive of His Majesty tho King. It was while in Egypt witii the New Zealand Mounted itifle Brigade that Squadron-Leader White commenced his career in aviation. Having been a member of the Sainoan Force which captured tho former German territory shortly after the outbreak of the Great War, he returned to New Zealand and Joined up with the Mounteds for Egypt.While there he had an opporunty to transfer into " (he Royal Fiying Corps, and ho quickly qualified, being posted to duty on reconnaissance over tho dcsert battle areas. During this period he was shot down, and had' to land In enemy territory, being taken prisonor and spending nearly two years iu the hands of the Turks. Released on the cessation of hostilities, he returned to New Zealand, and continued his eonnection with aviation) oue of his appointments being that .oi' instructor-pilot to the Hawke's Bay and East Coast Aero Club. Later he went to Australia, and for some time operated a thrice-daily service between Sydney and Newcastle, (lying a twiu-engined Coduck plane, an Australian-built machine. " , The experienced gained in handling the twin-engined machine was one of ■ the qualifications which secured for him tke appoiutment as chief pilot for a commercial aviation venture two and a half years ago. Up to that time he had flown 3429 hours, and eince taking up his duties he has added materially to his record of active fiying.