SEVEN AIRMEN KILLED
Two Devons Crash Near Wigram
COLLISION AFTER FLY-PAST
Seven airmen were killed when two de Havilland Devon aircraft, used as trainers by the Royal New Zealand Air Force Navigation School at Wigram, crashed in paddocks close to the south-east edge of the aerodrome after a collision in mid-air shortly before 4 p.m. yesterday. They were the only occupants of the planes. The men killed were: —
Squadron Leader S. R. Duncan, of Nelson.
Flight Lieutenant E. P. B. Ebbett, A.F.C., of Geraldine.
Flight Lieutenant E. W. Ziesler, of Christchurch.
Aircraftman (A.C.1) B. J. Keogh, of Dunedin.
Aircraftman (A.C.1) W. H. Sharman, of Christchurch, formerly of Britain.
Aircraftman (A.C.1) E. Melrose, of Dunedin.
Aircraftman (A.C.2) R. Woodcock, of Murchison.
The port wing of one plane struck the other’s starboard wing when they were breaking formation before landing, flying south-east at about 1200ft. Both planes immediately went into steep dives, out of control. They were completely wrecked, although neither of them burned. The planes were returning to the Air Force station after taking part in a fly-past of 27 service aircraft at the London-Harewood air race prize-giving ceremony at the Christchurch International Airport.
The accident was one of the worst in the history of the R.N.Z.A.F.
The first plane crashed after an almost vertical dive into wet ground in the corner of a horse-paddock, almost in a shelter belt of macrocarpa trees. It hit the ground only 20 yards away from Mrs J. E. Shaw’s home, near the corner of Middle Lincoln and Awatea roads, Halswell. Mud thrown up at the moment of impact spattered the house and the walls of nearby stables.
A young apprentice jockey, A. G. Walsh, employed by Mr Shaw, who is a horse trainer, was on his way out to bring in a horse from the paddock as the Devons came overhead. He looked up, and saw a plane heading in his direction “with a terrifying noise.” He took to his heels, running towards the far end of the paddock to get away. There were horses in the paddock, but they were at the far end, about 200 yards away, and were frightened but unharmed.
The second plane crashed a few seconds later in an open paddock about 200 yards further south-east, on property owned by Messrs A. T. and L. A. Watson. It appeared to have struck the ground at an angle rather less acute than the other aircraft. A drover, Mr Dennis Bunz, who was driving a mob of sheep on nearby Dunbar’s road, said he saw a group of nine aircraft. “I saw the two Devons touch, and then they came straight down. There was a thud as they hit the ground.” he said.
Members of the Southern Military District Construction Squadron were playing cricket at the Spreydon Domain, about two miles away, when the crash happened.
Two of the engineers said it seemed that the two Devons touched wings as they “peeled off” to come in to land. The wing of one plane, they said, seemed to crumple after the collision. They heard the sound of two impacts, “only a fraction of a second apart,” as the planes struck the ground.
Engines Embedded in Earth Both planes were reduced to piles of broken and tangled wreckage, covered with the remains of their electrical wiring. In each case the two engines were deeply embedded in the earth under the wreckage.
There were pieces of wreckage scattered over a fairly wide area from the plane which crashed in the open paddock, but the remains of the other were jammed together in a pitifully small heap about four feet high. The planes, built of thin metal, seemed to have been crushed as easily as eggshells, and the only recognisable parts were the tails.
An Air Force mobile crane was soon on the scene, and it was used to lift the wreckage so that police officers and Air Force men could recover the bodies of the airmen. By 5.15 p.m. the bodies of three men had been removed from the plane which fell near the house, and an hour later four bodies had been taken from the other aircraft.
Air Force guards were immediately mounted on the wrecked planes. The wreckage will not be removed until it has been inspected by members of a service Court of Inquiry.
When reporters arrived at the scene of the crash, about 15 minutes after it happened, there was already a small crowd of spectators. These people were told by Air Force officers that they could not approach close to the wreckage. Three radio-equipped cars, which were being used by Transport Department officers at Harewood, were sent to the scene of the accident. They went to a gate leading into the paddock in which the second aircraft lay, and to two nearby intersections, and stopped ordinary traffic from entering.
This action, no doubt, contributed much to the smallness of the crowd with which Air Force officers had to contend. There were quite a few spectators, nevertheless, and the men recovering the bodies from the wreckage did their work behind sacking screens.
PARLIAMENT TOLD OF CRASH
Mr Holland Expresses Deep Regret
INQUIRY TO OPEN TODAY IN CHRISTCHURCH
(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 15. The Prime Minister (Mr Holland) informed the House of Representatives of the crash of two Devon aircraft in Christchurch shortly before the adjournment at 10.25 o’clock tonight. “It is with deep regret that I have to inform the House of a tragic accident in which two Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft were involved this afternoon, and in which seven members of the RN.Z.A.F. lost their lives.” he said.
He announced that the Minister of Defence (Mr T. L. Macdonald), who is visiting Christchurch, would arrange a special inquiry into the circumstances of the accident to open in Christchurch tomorrow.
“This most unfortunate accident, which happened at a time when New Zealand is celebrating the marvellous performance of the crews and machines in the international air race, is a sharp reminder of the heavy toll and great price in the lives of many of the worldjs finest young men for the progress of aviation to its present high standard,” the Prime Minister said.
He was sure, said Mr Holland, that all members of the House would wish to express their deepest sympathy with the relatives of those who had lost their lives in the service of their country under tragic circumstances. “The next of kin have been informed, and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to them in their great sorrow,” he said.
GOVERNOR GENERAL’S SYMPATHY
Reference to the disaster at Wigram yesterday afternoon was made by the Governor-General (Sir Willoughby Norrie) and the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.), at the aeronautical dinner given by the Christchurch City Council and the Air Race Council last evening.
After welcoming the guests, Mr Macfarlane asked all to stand for a few moments in respect of those who had died in this great air tragedy.
“Nothing can be achieved without risk and sacrifice, and we remember with pride the many gallant men who have lost their lives in the cause of aviation,” said Sir Willoughby Norrie. "‘All of us must be grieved to hear of the terrible accident at Wigram this afternoon, and I would like to express to the relations of all those who lost their lives, my sincere sympathy.” -Press, 16/10/1953.
BIOGRAPHIES OF VICTIMS (excerpt)
AIRCRAFTMAN E. MELROSE
Aged 21, Aircraftman Eric Melrose was bom in Dunedin, and was educated at the Dunedin Technical College. He first entered the service as a member of a compulsory military training draft in 1951, and became an engine assistant. Since being posted to the Territorial Air Force supplement, he has undergone a fortnight’s refresher training each year, and was engaged upon this at the time of his death.
The website "Aircrew Remembered" states that Eric was doing his annual training under the Compulsory Military Training scheme and was due to finish for the year on the day after the accident.
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