ROSS SMITH.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1922, Page 5

ROSS SMITH.

WORLD-WIDE TRIBUTES. EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. “MACHINE WAS PERFECT’-’ DEFECT NOT KNOWN. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 16, 5.5 p.m. London, April 15. Universal tributes are paid by all the British, French and Continental press to Sir Ross Smith’s daring resourcefulness. The coroner at Weybridge, at the inquest on Sir Ross Smith and Lieut. Bennett, said it was an exceedingly sad caee and he sympathised not only with the relatives, but with the aviation interests and Australia, which had lost one of its best flying boys, who had done good service to the Empire. Mr. Muller, superintendent for the Vickers Co. at Brooklands, gave evidence that the machine was perfect and. the fact that Sir Ross Smith got her out of her spin half-way down proved that the controls were intact. Captain Cockerell stated in evidence that he handed th? machine to Sir Ross Smith after half an hour’s flight. He climbed from the machine, leaving the engine running, and Sir Ross Smith took his seat and flew off. Sir Roas Smith knew the machine perfectly. The only thing which attracted Captain Cookerell’s attention was that when Sir Ross Smith shut off the engine and was in spin that the machine was not running. A verdict was returned of death by misadventure. It is announced that Sir Keith Smith will not carry out the world flight project.-—Aus.-N/Z. (Table Assn. PARENTS RECEIVE NEWS. DEEPLY STRICKEN AT LOSS. Received April 16, 5.5 p.m. Adelaide, April 15. Sir Ross Smith’s death shocked the community. Flags were flown at halfmast and there were many references at the Good Friday services. Sir Keith cabled the news to a friend, who broke it to the parents. The latter are deeply stricken at the loss of a .famous ■son. Messages of sympathy are pouring in from all sides. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. FURTHER DETAILS. SIR KEITH SMITH’S AGONY. THE CAUSE A MYSTERY. London, April 13. A special representative was to have accompanied Sir Ross Smith on his first trial flight, but Sir Roes said: “Sorry, old man, there is no room. You will get a better view from the other plane.” He ascended in the Vernon machine, which kept company with Sir Ross’s machine. Descending, the representative and Sir Keith watched Ross’s second flight. When the machine developed the spinning nose dive and became uncontrollable, Sir Keith 'buried his face in his hands and flung himself to earth to avoid seeing his brother crash to his terrible fate. When the end came he groaned: “It’s all up. Oh, my poor father and mother. This will kill them.” Then he insisted on going across to see the wreckage. On the way he said: “If it had only been me instead of Ross. If I’d only beer, there, too. What a ghastly finale.” Sir Ross’s forehead was terribly bruised, and he had a dreadful gash on the left eheek. Fifty feet from the earth Sir Ross cut out the engine and made a great swoop like a wounded bird trying to get away. Then came the end, which was mercifully hidden from us by the banked racing track. Sir Keith examined the machine carefully after the accident, but failed to discover the cause. He said: “These spins are generally due to tail trouble. It is not tail trouble this time.”

Motoring back to London, the representative urged Sir Keith to give up flying. Sir Keith gave a typically gallant reply: “We must not lose our nerve.” Just before going up Sir Ross said: "If anything goes wrong in the world flight don’t complain or blame anyone It is the last thing in the world I would desire. We are taking the risk knowing the danger, and remember, Australians never squeal.” Sir Keith declared that his brother died as he would have desired, in harness. There was a sharp, sudden headlong dive to earth, and he was dead 'before he knew the bitterness of defeat. ■Sir Keith proposes to take both bodies to Australia. SIR ROSS’S LAST WORDS. A TRYING SCENE. London 7 April 14. Sir Ross Smith accompanied Captain Cockerell on the trial trip, but his death flight was the first time lie had handled the controls of the Vickers Amphibian, which recently won the £lO,OOO Govern, ment prize. Sir Roes’ last word was “Cheerio” to Ca.ptain Cockerell, as he put the wheels in motion. Lieutenant Bennett was moaning, but died as he was taken from the wreckage. -The fabric torn off the machine was so wrenched that the propellers, which split in two, lay facing inwards. When the doctor motored up, Sir Keith, who had borne-.up 'bravely, said: ‘ Please look to my brother and see if there is any chance.” The doctor immediately saw that Sir Ross’ condition was hopeless, and returned to Sir Keith, wh’o had walked a little way apart. Sir Keith said: “I see by your face that all is over.” The doctor nodded. Captain Cockerell says that he is unable to explain the accident. Questioned, he said the machine was new. Sir Ross had also had some months’ comparative inactivity from flying. The situation was something like a new mount in the first run of the hunting season. Other experts are doubtful whether it was a case of engine failure, or that the pilot did not allow sufficient height for flattening after the spin. THE INEVITABLE “IF.” London. April 14. The manager of the Brooklands motor works says that if Sir Ross Smith had

had an extra hundred feet he could have righted the aeroplane. Another observer says the engine stopped. but this is not confirmed. The bodies will be embalmed and taken to Australia for a State funeral. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AUSTRALIAN AND FRENCH TRIBUTES. Melbourne, April 15. Mr. Hughes has dispatched a message expressing the sympathy of the Commonwealth with the parents of Sir Ross Smith. Numerous other tributes are being received. Paris, April 14. All the newspapers publish appreciative sympathetic articles on the death of Sir Ross Smith. Le Petit Parisien says the world profoundly grieves the tragedy that over whelmed the greatest master of the air. NIJW ZEALAND’S SYMPATHY. MESSAGE TO THE RELATIVES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The following cable message has been despatched by His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General, Viscount Jellicoe, to the Governor-General of the Commonwealth: “Deeply regret to learn of the tragic death of Sir Ross Smith, ending as it does a career of brilliant achievement and still more brilliant promise. On. behalf of this Dominion I beg to express sincere sympathy with the relatives of Sir Ros® Smith and Lieutenant Bennett in their sad bereavement.”