TWO KILLED.
CRASH OF AN AEROPLANE.
ACCIDENT ON TRAINING FLIGHT.
(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. When a R.N.Z.A.F. Harvard aircraft from Wigram crashed at Springbank, near Cust, at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon while on a dual flying training flight two occupants were killed. They were:
Pilot-Officer John Vesey Hamilton Robinson (pilot), whose mother is Mrs. Y. Robinson, of Lake Timara, Blenheim.
Leading-Aircraftman Leonard John Cunningham (pupil under training) whose mother is Mrs J. A. Cunningham, of Balclutha.
Pilot-Officer Robinson, who was aged 21 was horn at Christchurch and educated at the Waihi Preparatory School and Christ’s College. He was a member of the college first Rugby fifteen in 1940, and champion swimmer, as well as taking a prominent part in other sports. He was working on his father’s farm at Lake Timara before entering the Air Force at the beginning of last year to train as a pilot. On completion of his training he was commissioned and retained in New Zealand as an instructor.
Leading-Aircraftman Cunningham who was 19, was educated at South Otago High School, and was a porter before he graduated to the R.N.Z.A.F. from the Air Training Corps in August, 1943. -Ashburton Guardian, 17/11/1944.
An inquest held the following month determined that the Harvard had got out of control and that both men died of "cerebral laceration and multiple injuries."
Balclutha Cemetery.
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