TRAGIC STORY WRITTEN ON RUDDER OF KOOKABURRA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 652, 2 May 1929, Page 1

TRAGIC STORY WRITTEN ON RUDDER OF KOOKABURRA

DYING AIRMEN’S MESSAGE Thirst, Dust, and Flies TOO WEAK TO START AGAIN Anderson Found 400 Yards Away (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Kec^ e i 95 ® , . SYDNEY, To-day. AFTER a two-days’ Silence by the land search party details of the tragic discoveries made at the site of the stranded Kookaburra were received in a brief message from Wave Hill by the secretary of the Air Board

rHE body under the plane was that of Mr. H. S. Hitchcock, the mechanic, not Lieutenant Keith Anderson. as previously reported. Anderson’s body was found by black trackers 400 yards from the Kookaburra. Lieutenant Eaton, who led the sound party, reported that the bodies iere in such a condition that it was imixrssible for the party to take them tack to Wave Hill. Owing to the shortage of water, the land party was unable to remain any longer at the spot, and was forced to •ttum to Wave Hill after the bodies lad been buried. The jeport further stated that the engine of the plane was in good order. On the rudder of the machine, the party found written notes of the unfortunate men's experiences, stating that owing to debility caused by [hirst, they had not sufficient strength to get the plane away. Lieutenant Eaton's message to tffe Air Board was to the effect that party reached the Kookaburra on April 29. Hitchcock’s body was found under the wing. The probable hate of his death was April 12 or 13. The party buried Hitchcock’s body on the afternoon they arrived. THIRST, DUST, AND FLIES After searching for an hour and ahalf, Anderson’s body was found and buried. The forced landing was due to cylinier trouble. A runway was cleared, but np take-off was attempted until April 11. It failed owing to increased debility, due to thirst, dust and flies. Lieutenant Anderson and Mr. Hitchcock were last seen on Wednesday, April 10, in their airplane Kookaburra, at Woodford,. 100 miles north-west of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, on !he way to Wyndham to aid in the search then proceeding for the Southern Cross. ' Leaving Alice Springs, Anderson followed the telegraph line for 100 aiies; but owing to crosswinds and an inaccurate compass he had to steer by the sun on account of the featureless desert. A abort, rough diary containing thia information was written on the fabric of the rudder, dated April 10. Apparently Hitchcock hied first and Anderson left the machine with an air cushion and two bottles of petrol to seek water; but he had proceeded only half a mile in a circular course before death came. DRANK COMPASS ALCOHOL A small hole had been dug beside 'he machine lor water, and the alio-, wi from the compass had been drunk. rw ° Packets of biscuits still renamed in the plane, which was dam>*ed during the landing, the underamage being strained and the fusees and three-ply on the side split. T he fabric of the plane was torn. Une tyre was flat.

Approximately 20 gallons of petrol remained, and the oil sump was full. . Eaton adds that lie removed the piece of fabric with the diary on it. The nearest water from Anderson's plane is a small mud pool, which is fast drying up, 45 miles to the northwest. The first attempt by the land party to reach the plane on April 27 was unsuccessful owing to its being unable to locate it. The horses went without water for 45 hours. The country covered was very bad. A specially equipped party with two one-ton trucks could possibly get through to Anderson by following our tracks,” Lieutenant Eaton concludes. The wreaths dropped from the air earlier were placed on the graves. STATEMENT BY SMITH Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lieutenant C. T. P. Ulm

| yesterday issued a joint statement in i which they said they had a full and I complete answer to criticism and innuendoes made about their recent flight and forced landing in the Southern Cross. “We owe it to the public to give complete details and we welcome the proposed inquiry,” (he statement cou- ; tinued. “We assure the public that we will do everything in our power to aid the Board of Inquiry. “No words can adequately express our sorrow at the loss of the two gallant men, Keith Anderson and Bobby Hitchcock. The fact that they were engaged in rescue work on our behalf | makes our sorrow even more poignant.” On tile back page appear photographs of Mr. Hitchcock, Lieutenant Keith Anderson, and liis iiancee, and also of tho Kookaburra, seen from aloft in the rescue plane.