Charles kingsford smith m.c. A.f.c.

Discussion in 'Biographies' started by liverpool annie, Oct 16, 2008.

  1. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    Did they ever find anything ?

    The Last Flight
    The fate of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith remains one of aviation's great unsolved mysteries. On 6 November 1935, Smithy and his co-pilot mechanic, Tommy Pethybridge took off on a planned flight from England to Australia in the Lady Southern Cross, a Lockheed Altair. At dusk on 7 November 1935 he and Pethybridge, departed Allahabad, India to fly non-stop overnight to Singapore. They passed over Calcutta, Akyab and Rangoon - which they overflew at 1:30 am. Just before 3:00AM, 8 November, another Australian pilot, Jimmy Melrose who was heading south from Rangoon in a much slower plane, a Percival Gull, saw the Altair overtake him above the Andaman Sea. In Singapore later that day Melrose was surprised to learn that the Lady Southern Cross had not arrived. Despite the RAF's search of the entire Rangoon-Singapore route, no trace of the Altair was found for 18 months. In May 1937 its starboard undercarriage leg was picked up by Burmese fishermen on the rocky shore of Aye Island off the south coast of Burma about 140 miles south-east of Rangoon. The theory grew that Smithy had flown into the 460-foot top of the jungle-covered island and the aircraft had plunged into the sea, the wheel breaking off and floating ashore. But an Australian expedition to the island in 1983 searched the seabed without success.

    Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial
    By Robyn Jaffrey, 1998.

    This monument commemorates the first flight over the Pacific Ocean by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith (a former pupil of Sydney Technical High School) and his companions Charles Ulm, James Warner and Harry Lyon.

    Location

    The Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial is situated on the western wall of the foyer of Sydney Technical High School auditorium. The school is located on the eastern side of Forest Road Bexley in the Sydney Municipality of Rockdale, Parish of St.George, County of Cumberland. It is bounded by Anderson Street on the north, Botany Street on the south and Ethel Street on the East.

    Memorial Inscription

    THIS MEMORIAL
    COMMEMORATES
    THE FIRST FLIGHT
    OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN BY
    SIR CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH M.C. A.F.C.
    AND HIS COMPANIONS
    31ST MAY - 9TH JUNE, 1928.
    HE WAS AN OLD SCHOLAR OF
    SYDNEY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
    UNVEILED BY THE HON. R. W. ASKIN M.L.A.,
    PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES
    (OLD SCHOLAR)
    ON 8TH JUNE, 1969.
    ERECTED BY BEXLEY R.S.L.

    Sydney Technical High School
     
  2. Antipodean Andy

    Antipodean Andy New Member

    Nothing, IIRC, Annie.
     
  3. spidge

    spidge Active Member

    From: Air Commodore Charles Edward Kingsford-Smith, MC, AFC
    Air Commodore Charles Edward Kingsford-Smith, MC, AFC

     
  4. Nostalgair

    Nostalgair New Member

  5. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    Hi Owen !

    You've probably seen this already ... but just in case ...... !

    Splendid Fellows, clip 3 (has teachers’ notes) - australian screen

    Annie :)
     
  6. Antipodean Andy

    Antipodean Andy New Member

    While I do hope he's found it, I also hope that he's taken into account that, since Smithy was lost, quite a few other aircraft have crashed in that area.

    Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's final resting place found, says film crew | National News | News.com.au

     
  7. Nostalgair

    Nostalgair New Member

    Unbelievable!

    Thanks VERY much for the post Andy.

    Cheers

    Owen
     
  8. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    I think we really need to wait and see - don't you ?!! wonder how long it would take ?

    I hope hope they don't poke around too much ... it is a watery gravesite ..... interesting though !! :)
     
  9. Nostalgair

    Nostalgair New Member

    Hi Annie,

    Yes, it's early days. It will be interesting to see whether it is actually the Lady Southern Cross.

    Cheers

    Owen
     

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