DUKE OF KENT

Southland Times, Issue 24835, 29 August 1942, Page 5

DUKE OF KENT

REMAINS BROUGHT TO LONDON (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, August 27. The Duke of Kent’s body; in an oak coffin draped with a flag of air force blue, on which was a single wreath of multi-coloured flowers was brought to London by train today from the north of Scotland. Aircraftmen guarded the coffin throughout the night at Dunrobin Castle, the Duke of Sutherland’s Highland seat. Two special coaches carried the bodies of the other victims from farther north and the Duke of Kent’s coffin was placed beside them at Dunrobin station, where 30 members of the Royal Air Force lined the platform and presented arms in a guard of honour. Country folk from the Highlands stood silent and bareheaded, paying their last respects. The Duke of Kent’s body will lie in the Albert Memorial Chapel, Windsor Castle, until the funeral in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. The Lord Chamberlain, the Earl of Clarendon, announced that donations to the Naval Amenities Fund or the Army and Air Forces Comfort Funds would be appreciated instead of floral tributes. The Times points out that the ordinary rules] of succession apply to the Dukedom of Kent, meaning that Prince Edward succeeds as second Duke of Kent. FLAGS AT HALF-MAST TODAY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 28. Instructions have been issued by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, that flags are to be flown at half-mast on all Government buildings throughout the Dominion tomorrow on the occasion of the Duke of Kent’s funeral. Mr Sullivan has also invited local authorities and citizens generally, where possible, to do likewise. New Zealand Air Headquarters has received advice from the Air Ministry, London, that the second pilot of the Duke of Kent’s plane, who was also killed in the crash, was Flight-Sergeant Edward Francis Blacklock, whose mother is Mrs M. C. Blacklock, Dunedin. Flight-Sergeant Blacklock was bom in Dunedin in 1912 and at the time of his enlistment was employed by the Railways Department.

Flight Sergeant Blacklock was born in Dunedin in 1912 and was educated at the Christian Brothers’ High School. On leaving school he joined the Railways Department and for some years was on the relieving staff at Dunedin. He was afterwards stationed at Wellington, Seacliff, Hinds and in several districts In Central Otago. He was living in Dunedin when he joined the Air Force. He left for overseas in 1940.— Correspondent.

Reference to the death on active service of the Duke of Kent was made by the chairman of the Southland executive of the Young Farmers’ Clubs (Mr R. J. Reid) at a meeting yesterday and members stood in silence as a mark of respect to his memory.