AEROPLANE DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1920, Page 2

AEROPLANE DISASTER

THREE PERSONS KILLED. (Per Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 11. An aviation accident occurred near the town last evening. It seems that three people were going on an aeroplane to New Plymouth to see the boxing match between Beil Tracey and Mick Rutherford last night, when their machine fell and all three were killed. Captain Russell, a returned soldier, was one of the victims. INVERCARGILL, Nov. 11. Captain Russell was well-known in Southland, he was born at Wintori and educated at Invercargill. Before the war- lie acquired local note as a skilled mechanic and motorist, and receiving his first training as an airman at Auckland Flying School and went to England towards the end of 1917. He re- ; ceived final training with llie 108th. ! Squadron, which flew from Dover to J France in July 1918. From that time Russell was in the thick of the fighting, I until the armistice. He was shot down two or three times while over the German lines, and in October 1918, was posted as missing, during the German retreat. He was, however, sheltered by Belgian peasants, until he could return to the British lines. Captain Russell returned to New Zealand at the end of last year. ' sir keith”smith’s views. ! WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. * Sir Keith Smith said he was grieved to hear the death "of a. brother flying man but he observed it was a fate that faced them all. The danger of a crash was ever present I 'in their minds. He gathered that Russell’s machine stalled when making a landing. That often happened. It was not- so dangerous at a good height, for then there' was a chance of recovery but it was fatal close to tbe ground. I have seen many men killed that way. It is one of the dangers of' landing. The Avro machine was regafaed as a perfectly safe type. ; He hoped the public would not he unduly alarmed. An aeroplane was no more dangerous really, than a motor