Mishap at Aerial Wedding

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 5, 6 January 1940, Page 10

Mishap at Aerial Wedding

AUSTRALIA’S FIRST LARGE-SCALE CEREMONY MELBOURNE, Dec. 16. A ’plane .sensationally tipping on its nose on Essendou aerodrome as other ’planes were about to take off nearly caused a hitch in the arrangements for an aerial wedding. Scores of the grounded guests in evening dress raced across the field to tho upturned ’plane and the alarm siren screeched, but the wedding party remained belted in their seats unaware of the mishap and puzzled at the delay. The bride purposely was not told. At the first sign of the accident an aerodrome official slammed the doors of the ’planes and the liop-off was held up for several minutes while the accident ’plane was righted. It was feared that the party would bo frightened at tlip sight. “Isn’t it terrible,” cried the bride’s mother, Mrs. Stewart, in tho middle of confusion on tho tarmac. ** Please don’t tell Eunice, it will frighten her. ” Mrs. Stewart said that she was too nervous to attend the ceremony in the The Ryan Monoplane involved in the accident was being taxed into the wind, beforo taking off, by its owner, F. Watkins, who is a well-known Melbourne pilot, when a wheel sunk into a rut and the ’plane stood up on its propeller. Tho aerodrome fire tender was besid« llio ’piano before Watkins and his passenger had climbed on*;, of tlieir seats, but the only damage was a

smashed propeller. The wedding ’planes took off at 7.20 p.m. and when they returned in half an hour, Miss Eunice Stewart and Mr. R. Carter, of Werribee, had been married. The ceremony took place at 200 m.p.h. It was Australia’s first large-scale aerial wedding. Four pilots, three ’planes, a clergyman, a best man, seven bridesmaids, six groomsmen and the bride’s oldest brother, who gave her away, were concerned in the wedding. The “flying church” was a 10passenger Lockheed Electra, of Ansett Airways. Main members of the party flew in the liner, while others of the group occupied an eight-seater S.P. Envoy and a four-seater Wilgul. The three ’planes flew in formation over the wedding guests on the tarmac. As soon as the liner was steady in the air the marriage service was commenced by the minister, the Rev. H. C. Trebileo, of Elsternwick. The bride’s veil stretched tho length of tho ’plane between the guests. There was a tense moment after the bride had received the ring on her finger, when she turned to the wedding party, looking a little wan, and said, “Has anybody any chewing gums” The whole party had been chewing gum lustily throughout the ceremony to prevent air-sickness, but a feverish hunt through pockets failed to produce a spare. The only pressman on the wedding ’plane sa v ed the day by bringing to light the required sweet. The ceremony went on. Before the ’plane came to earth the registry was signed by all parties. A guard of honour of 20 members of the 2nd A.I.F. Reserve, who were at tho aerodrome as a security guard, lined the path on the tarma£.