NOTED FLYING OFFICER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17687, 26 July 1919, Page 7

NOTED FLYING OFFICER

TO TAKE CHARGE OF SOCKBURN AERODROME. CAPTAIN EUAN DICKSON. The directors of the Canterbury Aviation Company have appointed Captain Euan Dickson, D.&.C., D.F.C., to tako charge of tho Sock-burn aerodrome, in succession to the late Mr C. M. HilL By the kindness of the Acting Prime Minister applications were invited by the' High Commissioner in London, and there was a very large response, including many officers with excellent records, (says the Lyttelton Times). For reasons which need not be stated tho final selection had to bo delayed until tht@fc- end of last month, but the delay has not been a disadvantage as it has enabled the board to receive by mail fuller particulars of the numerous applicants. Captain Dickson has cabled his acceptance of the position, but word has not yet been received in Christchurch of the date on which ho will leave for New Zealand.

Captain Dickson served his engineering apprenticeship at Sheffield, and finished off with a course of engineering at tho Sheffield University, and iu 1912 was selected to proceed to Now Zealand to instal, organise, and conduct an engineering (machine) shop at the works of Messrs Price, Ltd., at Thames. New Zealand. He carried out the work successfully, and' conducted the department for Messrs Prico till 1915, when ho obtained leavo to go Home to take up war flying, and was commissioned in the JRoyal Naval Air Service. Ho had a distinguished career at the front, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (and bar), tho Distinguished Flying Cross, and the French Croix de Guerre for service as a pilot. After 18 months at the front ho broke down in health, and was sent to England to recuperate, but after six weeks ho reported fit for duty, and was given a flight of instruction, with four instructors under him. and for tho six months ended March last ho held tho position of flight commander. During his time at tho School of Pilots he had not a single casuaJtv on his list of pupils, and his commanding officer says of him : "In my absence he has commanded tho squadron and has proved himself in every way entirely satisfactory, and an energetic, keen, and; very capable officer and .pilot. His pre-war experience as an engineer has. proved of inestimable value to him in connection with aeroplane engines." Captain Dickson's war experience included 186 bombing raids, 110 of which he commanded, and ho has since had an equally wide experience of tho building - of aeroplanes and the controlling of aerodromes as well as the instruction of pilots.