CRASH OF BAFFIN
TWO BODIES RECOVERED
MACHINE HAULED TO SHORE
PLUCKY RESCUE WORK
(Special to the "Evening Post.")
CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.
The full names and rank of the victims of the Royal New Zealand Air Force crash offshore at Waimairi yesterday were Flight-Lieutenant Arthur Darvall Poulton, pilot of the Baffin; Air-gunner William James Reynold Strachan, and Aircraftman (First Class) Douglas Haigh Birbeck. The body of Air-gunner Strachan was recovered early in the evening and that of Flight-Lieutenant Poulton later. The Baffin was one of several training machines engaged in dropping and picking up messages over the sea and shore, and in wireless training. The pilot had made his last turn at a point just off Spencer Park before returning to Wigram and the point of impact with the water was only 400 or 500 yards from the beach, so close that even at full tide the depth is not more than 12 or 14 feet.
RUSH TO THE RESCUE.
Airmen, groundsmen, and relief workers along the shore were horrified when they saw the Baffin, turning at a height of less than 800 feet, dive at terrific speed into the water, obviously out of control. Realising that disaster was unavoidable, airmen on the ground dashed along the beach, stripped, and were alongside the sinking aeroplane before it had settled in deep water, but their efforts to find the crew were fruitless. Courageous efforts were made, but it was generally believed that the Baffin hit the sea with such an impact that the occupants would be either killed instantly or knocked unconscious and so be unable to help themselves. Persons in the neighbourhood state that they heard a loud explosion at the moment of impact, but the official version of the accident indicates that there was little likelihood of an explosion and that the noise was caused by the terrific force with which the Baffin landed in the surf. The aeroplane was very badly damaged, and a few minutes after the crash hundreds of pieces of wreckage of all sizes and from various parts of the machine started to drift ashore. It was not long before this debris, pieces of fuselage, fabric, and even a substantial part of the undercarriage littered the shore for more than half a mile, nor was it long before some of the big crowd of people who gathered on the beach were selecting some of the wreckage as souvenirs. The first men to reach the wreck were from the Air Force, but at the same time more than a mile down the beach towards Waimairi workers employed by the Waimairi County Council had also seen the crash, and they rushed to the scene. Having been advised of the crash by a small boy, the patrolman at North Beach, Mr. A. T. Dalton, accompanied by other members of the North Beach Surf Club, made for the scene, taking with them. the Waimairi Surf Club's reel. The line was run out, but the men's efforts were hindered by a. heavy coating of oil on.the water. The life-savers, in nearly 15 feet of water, dived repeatedly to find the bodies of the crew, but the heavy swell, movement of the wrecked machine, and the oil as well as the floating debris, were against them.
LONG SEARCH FOR BODIES.
Attempts to salvage the wreck by (using the life-line having failed, it was decided to secure a stronger rope. One was brought from a nearby farm, and was soon attached to the aeroplane by Mr. Dalton, who tied it round the wreckage. Two horses were brought, but were not used for fear of snapping the rope. In the meantime the Sumner life-boat had been communicated with and efforts were also made to secure assistance from owners of suitable vessels. First to arrive was. the fishing launch Molly, of Lyttelton, in charge of Mr. J. Scott. She was fishing off the heads. A signalman climbed down the rocks and gave the alarm and the Molly was quickly taken to the scene. The Sumner life-boat arrived soon after and, with swimmers on board, helped materially in efforts at salvage. Later the 40ft launch Seabird, owned by Mr. R. Sargent, Riccarton, joined the other two vessels, but such a big boat was not safe so close to the surf. After standing by for some time she was taken away. The three vessels, however, and another from Lyttelton, which arrived later, made a thorough search for the bodies before returning to harbour. The shore party meanwhile had continued attempts to haul the wreckage nearer the shore, but these were abandoned on the decision of Air Force authorities till more suitable gear was brought from the Royal Air Force Station at Wigram. This included material for floating the wreckage nearer shore so that an examination could be made. A salvage party left Wigram during the afternoon to undertake that work. A great deal of praise was given to the beach patrolmen, particularly to Mr Dalton, who took the first line out and was continually in the water in cold conditions for some hours. They did everything humanly possible to find the trapped airmen. Help was also given by the St. John Ambulance station providing blankets and coffee for the men in the water, some of whom suffered severely from cold. A salvage party from Wigram, assisted by soldiers, members of surf clubs, beach patrols, and citizens, successfully pulled the wreckage to the high water mark at 7.30 p.m. It was left guarded overnight. Nearly 200 men assisted in the haul. -Evening Post, 6/2/1940.
Flight-lieutenant Poulton will be given a military funeral at East Eyreton to-morrow afternoon. A detachment of 100 officers and men from Wigram will attend. The body of Air Gunner Strachan was taken to Roxburgh to-day. Aircraftsman W. J. R. Strachan, one of the three victims of the air tragedy when a Baffin bomber crashed into the sea. was a native of Roxburgh. He was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs George Strachan and was 34 years of age. He was educated at the Roxburgh School, being dux in his last year, and after assisting his father in the fruit-growing industry for a few years he went to Fiji gold mining, later returning to the West Coast. He joined the Air Force comparatively recently, and proved himself to be an apt and keen pupil. He has passed two examinations and was sitting for a third at the time of his death. -Otago Daily Times, 7/2/1940
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| Blackburn Baffin. The RNZAF acquired 27 of them in 1937. One is reportedly being restored. |
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