Aircraftman 1st class Albert Bartholomew DUFFELL NZ39849
N.Z. 39849 AC1
A.B. DUFFELL
R.N.Z.A.F.
Died 22-7-1940
aged 25
His Cenotaph database record:
muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/23524.detail?O...
Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 20, 23 July 1940, Page 9
AIR TRAGEDY
CRASH IN FOG
WIGRAM MACHINE
(By Telegraph—Press Association.)
CHRISTCHURCH, July 22
Four members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force were killed instantaniously when an Airspeed Oxford aeroplane crushed in heavy fog on the side of a low hill near Big Bay, Ataahua, opposite Lake Ellesmere, about 9 o'clock this morning.
The machine is stated to have been on its way to the Birdling's Flat range for air firing practice. The victims were:—
Pilot Officer William Oscar George Krogh. aged 28, Hastings, staff pilot. Wigram.
Airman Pilot Leading Aircraftman Archibald John Hull, aged 24, Napier.
Airman Pilot Leading Aircraftman Herbert John von Tunzelmann, aged 22. Invercargill.
Aircraftman, First Class (Flight Mechanic) Albert Bartholomew Duffell, aged 25, married. Christchurch.
Pilot Officer Krogh was trained at Wigram Flying Training School, No. 9 course, and on passing out was selected for retention with the Air Force in New Zealand because of his outstanding ability. Since then he had continued to serve at Wigram. Aircraftmen Hull and von Tunzelmann were both on the senior course at the school and would have completed this training at the end of this week. Aircraftman Duffell was serving with an advanced training squadron. The machine was heard flying low by Messrs. Ivor C. Gray and Alan Nutt, who were on Mr. Gray's farm adjoining the Akaroa main highway and facing Lake Ellesmere. Heavy fog hid the machine from sight, but it was believed from the sound to have turned back towards Wigram. Within a few seconds both men heard a loud crash, which was followed by silence, only a short distance away.
CRASHED INTO HILL.
An immediate search was started by the two men, but the fog was so thick that it was half an hour, involving some three miles of tramping, before the wrecked machine was located. It had crashed into the side of a 300 foot high hill on the property of Mr. C. E. Gray, striking a clay projection and ending in a shallow gully. It was apparent immediately that all the occupants had been killed outright.
After a brief examination, while Mr. Gray remained beside the machine, Mr. Nutt hurried to the nearest telephone, about a mile and a half distant on the main road, and summoned Wing Commander G. S. Hodson, of Wigram, who, with Squadron Leader R. A. Calder, immediately left for the scene with an Air Force ambulance.
The bodies of the men were carried part of the distance to the road and brought the remainder of the way, about one mile, by sledge. The route, followed by the machine before the crash was within a mile of the flats on the hillward side of the lake, and it was officially stated today that the aeroplane must have flown low to try to penetrate the fog. The engines and other parts of the machine will be salvaged tomorrow. [2]
Reference:
[1]
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP...
Aircraftman 1st class Albert Bartholomew DUFFELL NZ39849
N.Z. 39849 AC1
A.B. DUFFELL
R.N.Z.A.F.
Died 22-7-1940
aged 25
His Cenotaph database record:
muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/23524.detail?O...
Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 20, 23 July 1940, Page 9
AIR TRAGEDY
CRASH IN FOG
WIGRAM MACHINE
(By Telegraph—Press Association.)
CHRISTCHURCH, July 22
Four members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force were killed instantaniously when an Airspeed Oxford aeroplane crushed in heavy fog on the side of a low hill near Big Bay, Ataahua, opposite Lake Ellesmere, about 9 o'clock this morning.
The machine is stated to have been on its way to the Birdling's Flat range for air firing practice. The victims were:—
Pilot Officer William Oscar George Krogh. aged 28, Hastings, staff pilot. Wigram.
Airman Pilot Leading Aircraftman Archibald John Hull, aged 24, Napier.
Airman Pilot Leading Aircraftman Herbert John von Tunzelmann, aged 22. Invercargill.
Aircraftman, First Class (Flight Mechanic) Albert Bartholomew Duffell, aged 25, married. Christchurch.
Pilot Officer Krogh was trained at Wigram Flying Training School, No. 9 course, and on passing out was selected for retention with the Air Force in New Zealand because of his outstanding ability. Since then he had continued to serve at Wigram. Aircraftmen Hull and von Tunzelmann were both on the senior course at the school and would have completed this training at the end of this week. Aircraftman Duffell was serving with an advanced training squadron. The machine was heard flying low by Messrs. Ivor C. Gray and Alan Nutt, who were on Mr. Gray's farm adjoining the Akaroa main highway and facing Lake Ellesmere. Heavy fog hid the machine from sight, but it was believed from the sound to have turned back towards Wigram. Within a few seconds both men heard a loud crash, which was followed by silence, only a short distance away.
CRASHED INTO HILL.
An immediate search was started by the two men, but the fog was so thick that it was half an hour, involving some three miles of tramping, before the wrecked machine was located. It had crashed into the side of a 300 foot high hill on the property of Mr. C. E. Gray, striking a clay projection and ending in a shallow gully. It was apparent immediately that all the occupants had been killed outright.
After a brief examination, while Mr. Gray remained beside the machine, Mr. Nutt hurried to the nearest telephone, about a mile and a half distant on the main road, and summoned Wing Commander G. S. Hodson, of Wigram, who, with Squadron Leader R. A. Calder, immediately left for the scene with an Air Force ambulance.
The bodies of the men were carried part of the distance to the road and brought the remainder of the way, about one mile, by sledge. The route, followed by the machine before the crash was within a mile of the flats on the hillward side of the lake, and it was officially stated today that the aeroplane must have flown low to try to penetrate the fog. The engines and other parts of the machine will be salvaged tomorrow. [2]
Reference:
[1]
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP...