FLIGHT ENDED.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 April 1920, Page 5

FLIGHT ENDED.

CAPTAIN MATTHEWS CRASHES THE EFFORT ABANDONED. By Telegraph.—Press Asan.—Copyright, Received April IS, fi.s p.m. Weltevrcden, April 17. Matthews resumed his flight at six o'clock this morning, and landed at 12.45 on the flying ground at Grokgak, near Singgardja, jii the Island of Boli. A later message states Matthews' Sopwith machine iuna#hed, and Matthews was injured when landing.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

Received April 18, 11.20 p.m. Weltevrcden, April 18. Matthews, after reconnoitring, attempted to land, but his motor refused to>_act, Matthews lost control of the machine, which crashed in a banana garden adjoining the flying ground. Tho aeroplane was destroyed. Sergeant Kay had some ribs badly damaged. Further flight has been abandoned.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

[Captain Matthews left London on October 21 last year, the first Australian airman to start on a flight to Australia. After being held up by storms and adverse weather in Germany, Matthews succeeded in, reaching Novisod, in Servia, where both he and the machine had a very rough time. By this time Captain Ross Smith, who left London on November 12, "was well ahcßjil of him and also other competitors,'who subsequently met with' ntisfftaKune and abandoned the flight. The remainder of the flight hasi been broken'by a series of accidents, but last week Matthews was plodding on steadily, and.was confident of reaching Australia this month.]

FRENCH AIRMAN'S DEATH. A TRAGIC STORY. Received April 17, 1.45 p.m. Paris, April 10., Lieutenant Pruvst, commander of the search party which found General Laperine, who was killed in the Sahara, narrates a tragic story. Laperine and two companion!) were in a two-seater, which necessitated Laperine sitting op the mechanic's knees. A strong wind I>l ?w the aeroplane off the route, familiar landmarks were lost, and it was necessary to descend into the lifeless desert. Liiperine was thrown off and his collar-' bone broken. The lliers had two days' food and IS gallons of water in the aeroplane tank. The only hope was the remote possibility of a caravan passing. Laperine suffered from .terrible intevuni pnin, 'but lived from February 18 till .March . r i. His great sorrow was that he had brought about his comrades' plight. lie said: "I crossed the desert eleven times and thought I knew the Sahara as no one knew it." Lieutenant Pruvdst found the two survivors on March 14 at the end of their tether. They buried the general in n hole made with their fingers. The rescuers dug up the body, rolled it in sheet 7.in- and took it to Tamava— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.