White returned to the Army as Chief of the General Staff in 1940. All rights reserved. Collaboratively and competitively delivered across the nation. [a] However, no evidence of that nature was brought before the inquest. The further out I went, the more aloneI felt. > Yep, you have to walk there as the gate is locked. Pine forests are renowned for being biodiversity deserts and at night that is particularly the case. Collaboratively and competitively delivered across the nation. Like other legends, these tales of strange activity never seem to have any dates or names attached to them. Subscribe to receive the latest local voices straight to your inbox. The memorial is a large granite monolith with a bronze inscription with a dedication to the lives . The latest news as it happens from Canberra and the surrounding region. Newspaper editorials across the country recognised this. All ten men in the aircraft - four crew and six passengers - lost their lives in the crash. If you are not familiar with the area, call Canberra Connect for directions or more information on the walk: 13 22 81. One of the odd things about this crash was that for a lot of people, the inquiry into the accident left more questions rather than answers. Police believe that Keren was killed elsewhere and then her body was dumped at the memorial site later. I regained the car and returned to my home - but the memory of that sinister place lingers with me still.. Most likely even before Dr. Nott actually arrived on the scene, the police and fireman realized that a doctor was not going to be necessary. Personally, I think it's only a matter of handling your throttles wisely". As if the strange lights werent creepy enough, there are reports of a ghostly figure dashing across the road, sometimes shrouded in flames. He recalled a discussion he had with Sir Harry White, Australia's first National Librarian, whose friend, Norman Tritton, was Prime Minister Menzies' Private Secretary. The bodies were removed from the scene and taken directly to the morgue for identification and autopsy. Later on when they had reached the top of the hill they saw her again sitting on the ground crying. The embarrassment alone, if not the alcohol, would be enough for anyone to come up with some sort of supernatural excuse for their stupidity. The weather was sunny and clear, and people had remarked earlier that morning that it was a perfect day for flying. Most of these senior Commonwealth figures held posts related to Australia's defence. Just great! ALSO. the Air Disaster Memorial is located in the Fairbairn Pine Plantation part of the greater Mount Ainslie. When the fire department and police arrived on scene they thought that maybe there could be survivors so they sent for the local doctor, Dr. Lewis Nott. I dont think I've View, Great work, looking forward to seeing the progress. Tim makes a nocturnal trip to the memorial of Canberras worst air disaster alone. View, Mookie Moo we will have flying trains by then View, Lets hope for a progressive Gov in NSW in March that would see the political angle removed with View, Justin Watson yes perhaps. The outcome of the inquest was that Hitchcock, who had over 100 hours of flying experience had fatally stalled the plane in perfect flying conditions. The memorial is a large granite monolith with a bronze inscription with a dedication to the . Where to eat, what to drink in the Canberra region. Is it time Australia looked beyond Defence for disaster response? Interestingly enough, people have reported seeing a young woman standing near the edge of the clearing at the Canberra Disaster Memorial. "Anthonie Tonnon Unveils Single 'Lockheed Bomber', National Archives of Australia Fact Sheet 142, National Archive of Australia search for Fairbairn Memorial, National Museum of Australia propeller blade exhibit, Transcript of interview on ABC Stateline Canberra, 22 June 2007, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1940_Canberra_air_disaster&oldid=1124291869, Flight Lieutenant Robert Edward Hitchcock, This page was last edited on 28 November 2022, at 06:06. And yet, there are still cases that defy explanation.. Some of our group also swear they saw a person on the track leading up to the memorial. R. G. Menzies, who had also been Prime Minister at the time of the accident. The memorial commemorates a plane crash that occurred in 1940 and killed 10 people, including 4 senior government figures. Its amazing the effect that a cloak of darkness can have on you. But could this possibly be more than just a legend? One other issue raised in the aftermath of the crash concerned the almost impossible travel itinerary imposed on Government Ministers at that time, a burden which had them regularly travelling between Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. The Air Disaster Memorial Walk is a 2.8km return walk on forest roads from the entrance gate to Fairbairn Pines on Fairbairn Avenue. This week we honored the victims of the 9/11 attack, the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. Live music. 2012, an article was posted in the Traveller website by "Tim the Yowie man", that included the site of the air crash on a list of the most haunted places in Australia . Unlike most other places, this location has more than one legend attached to it. View, Opportunities to acquire skills and improve their chances of successful reintegration into the View, Major events are generally infrequent, scheduled, well managed with a defined finish time and View, We have lots of major events (music and otherwise) that attract interstate visitors and bring in View, And just a little hint for those who might not be aware. If the supernatural were real, it would be natural. No one saw what it was, but there was a 20 cent sized dent left on the bonnet, says Mr Evans who high tailed it out of the forest as fast as he could. Air Disaster Memorial AIR DISASTER MEMORIAL The haunting: On August 13, 1940, a Lockheed Hudson bomber plummeted into this hill, burst into flames, sadly killing all 10 people on board. With nothing more to gain, I jog back to Fairbairn Avenue, careful to dodge every pine cone along the way. Its an interesting place, quite eerie, but this is expected given its remote location, the history of the place, and the stories that circulate about it. A granite monolith marks the site of the crash. Hey, would you be willing to share your experience for an article I am writing? (I recomend playing paintball there, its great). On the approach to the RAAF airbase at Fairbairn, it lost altitude and crashed through the eucalypt trees into the top of the hill. Even during the day the area around the memorial is spooky. His opinion was that all men died instantly before the plane caught fire. The tragedy assumed the proportions of a national disaster in view of the loss of the chief administrators of Australia`s war effort. Can all these people be wrong? At 8.47 a.m. he and three crew members left RAAF Laverton for Essendon Airport. The Air Disaster Memorial and other Canberra spooky places have been discussed previously on RiotACT here, here and here. The same car was spotted speeding past the Canberra airport towards Queanbeyan about 10-15 minutes later. Hey guys Anthony hereI went out to the air disaster memorial in canberra and all was going good until I heard a strange noise coming from the bushes, I am no. Soon stories Ive heard begin to race through my head like the teenager who left the forest screaming claiming she was being followed by images of an airman on fire and the young man who just a month ago confided in me that he had seen a ghost-like figure dart across the road in front of him. Its been 75 years since a Lockheed Hudson bomber crashed into a hill between Canberra airport and Queanbeyan, killing 10 people. Another story regarding the Air Disaster Memorial is even less believable in that a young girl was once found dead under a 500 kilogram cattle grid although the ground around the grid had not been disturbed. New budget airline arrives, but will it drive down high airfares? He had been a special magistrate since 1930 and was "experienced in coronial duties". I quicken my pace to a sort of panicked shuffle you know that movement halfway between a walk and a run that you instinctively break into when youre worried someone is following you. The Air Disaster Memorial on Mount Ainslie is another place reputed to be haunted.. For several decades the lonely crash site, now surrounded by pine forest, has been regarded as the most haunted location in Canberra and one which generations of locals have been dared to explore at night alone. Speculation arose that it was during this time that Minister Fairbairn changed seats with the co-pilot, Richard Wisener. Isnt the Air Disaster Memorial inaccessible at the moment because you have to go through the paintball field to get to it? The plane was not instantly disintegrated upon impact. Its said she means no harm so the only thing thats likely to scare you off is the nighttime security guard. I could hear scuttling from underneath the trees. I was afraid, but it was a fear unrelated to the crash - I imagined that something awful and malevolent lurked here - but it was not the spirits of the victims. To this day, almost 50 years later, there have been no arrests in the murder of Keren Rowland, and her death remains unsolved. They never made it. [25] This conclusion contradicted initial newspaper reports that the victims had been killed by the post-crash fire. Could the strange sightings and activity at the Canberra Disaster Memorial be connected to these two tragic events, or is it simply an urban legend. Wooldridge discussed the matter with White early in his tenure as a politician, and said that White kept the secret for 50 years, and he did for another 30 years.[33]. Interest. 1 Aircraft Depot at RAAF Base Laverton on 20 June 1940 and assigned to No. Explosions? In many cases, yes. The aircraft crashed into a hill with great force, killing all occupants instantly, then burning fiercely. A memorial was suggested in Parliament by Dr Maloney (Labor) on 14 August 1940. All rights reserved. My friend told me about 10 years ago, him and his mates went up there and saw a young girl near the gate. The Air Disaster Memorial sits in the Fairbairn pine plantation on the eastern edge of Canberra. Most are convinced its the ghost of 16-year-old Florrie Blundell who died in 1892 from terrible burns. In the wake of the loss of three senior Cabinet ministers, Menzies was forced to reshuffle his ministry. Despite witness descriptions of the vehicle, the driver of the car was never identified. For many years now, the crash site has sparked tales of distressing apparitions. A night at the Kurrajong may result in a terrific sleep or, if the late Ben Chifley is up to his usual antics, you may not sleep at all. and Youre correct. Then I realise it must be a delayed flight coming in to land (thankfully) safely at Canberra Airport. It has always been suspected that he may have persuaded the RAAF crew to allow him to fly the plane into Canberra. Maybe thats why ghosts hate cars. Lieutenant Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, Staff Officer to General White. Air Disaster Memorial It's been 75 years since a Lockheed Hudson bomber crashed into a hill between Canberra airport and Queanbeyan, killing 10 people. I once did a big burnout there. I stumble on a pine cone. Here is his chilling account. The entire time you are surrounded by pines; their branches rattling in the wind. The site is hemmed in by the pine plantation and some of the native eucalyptus trees that still survive from the time of the accident. The coroners report was exactly the same for all men, only the names were changed. Are they deluded or deranged? It was felt that, in 1940, Australia still had not committed fully to Canberra as its National Capital. [30] Lachal's report went into more depth and consideration of technical detail, but reached the same conclusion, that the crash was "due to the aircraft stalling when approaching the aerodrome to land" and that "the accident was due to an error of judgment on the part of the pilot". Music, festivals, charity events - everything thats happening in the Canberra region. Now known as the Canberra Air Disaster, the location of the crash is marked by a memorial. Even during the day the area around the memorial is spooky. James Fairbairn had served in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and still enjoyed flying. She is said to be wearing slightly outdated clothing, with long brown hair that is pulled up. I pick it up perhaps I can throw it in self-defence. When you first arrive at the base of the hill near the Canberra Speedway and the Paintball sports ground it feels like you cannot possibly be in the right place. Braidwoods Mona Farm is hosting a Sunday roast. Although Menzies was not in fact close to Fairbairn personally or politically, Street and Gullett were among his closest supporters, and Gullett was a trusted senior adviser. View, Opportunities to acquire skills and improve their chances of successful reintegration into the View, Major events are generally infrequent, scheduled, well managed with a defined finish time and View, We have lots of major events (music and otherwise) that attract interstate visitors and bring in View, And just a little hint for those who might not be aware. Get free shore excursions, beverages and shipboard credit with Oceania Cruises, Get $1500 in bonus value on Fiji island escape, Get $450 in bonus value on Fraser Island holiday, See Vivid Sydney and get a $600 bonus on your stay. Is it private property or is there some other reason? Canberra's best regional produce is just a click away. Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. The traffic island footprint was intended to be evocative of an aircraft wing. This Friday is the 70th anniversary of Canberra's worst air disaster - when a Lockheed Hudson bomber plummeted into a hillside near Queanbeyan, burst into flames and killed all 10 people on board instantly. Copyright 2023 Region Group Pty Ltd ABN 85 168 887 232. Given this, we still must wonder about the ten men killed on the fateful day in August. The Court of Inquiry into the accident found that it was most likely from the aircraft stalling on its landing approach, resulting in loss of control at a height too low to recover. Love your home every day with quality products from Monaro Screens. 1940 A461, 700/1/391 Air accident involving deaths of Commonwealth Ministers and others. the-riotact.com | riotact.com.cn | regionriverina.com.au | aboutregional.com.au | b2bmagazine.com.au | thisiscanberra.com | mygungahlin.com.au. Witnesses reported seeing a dark car near Kerens car on the night in question and said a woman fitting Kerens description was walking towards the car. It was a completely airworthy plane in the hands of a competent pilot. Its not clear if the reports of the spectral burning airman happened before the memorial was erected. [16][17], More recently the RAAF Historian C. D. Coulthard-Clark, in his book The Third Brother, called into question the flying ability of the pilot-in-command, FLTLT Hitchcock. A break in the trees on your left reveals a low cement plinth in the shape of an aeroplane wing stretching toward you. He was elected to Parliament in 1925, becoming Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 1929 to 1930, Minister for Trade and Customs from 1928 to 1929 and 1932 to 1933, Minister without portfolio from 1934 to 1937, Minister for External Affairs and Information from 1939 to 1940, and was appointed vice-president of the Executive Council in March 1940. An interpretive plaque and concrete traffic island were unveiled in the presence of the Honourable Wilson Tuckey MP, Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, on 13 August 2003, the anniversary of the crash. Her parents conducted an exhaustive search and no real leads turned up. Each of them had a place not only in the Cabinet but in my heart". It was a series of four coordinated attacks by the Islamic terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, on the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. When I first read about this legend, I immediately had a mental image of a man who was killed in the crash but didnt realize he was dead. The stories behind the people and places that make Canberra what it is. Courtesy National Archives of Australia As we commemorate Armistice Day we remember the WWII service and sacrifice of Strathfield Pilot Officer Richard Frederick Wiesener who died in 1940, aged 29. Whether you are a history buff, a nature lover, or an exercise junky, the trek to the memorial is one to add to your bucket list. Finally, on May 13th, 1971, the skeletal remains of Keren Rowland were found at the Canberra Disaster Memorial by a hiker. Thememorial itself embodied sadness, the inscription and the names discerned by the feeble light of my torch. Ohh and is this near the paintball field? Theres nothing unusual about a car stalling and then rolling forward. On the morning of August 13, 1940, a Lockheed Hudson, registration number A16-97 was on the way to Canberra from Melbourne. Are they deluded or deranged? Considering my car is an auto as well. So how then exactly did the original poster have the car stalling and rolling forward experience? The three ministers killed were the Minister of state for the Army, the Minister of State for Air and the Vice President of the Executive Council. It's located in the country, in East Bethany, NY (near Rochester and Buffalo) and there are said to have been 17,000 people buried with unmarked graves. I dont think I've View, Great work, looking forward to seeing the progress. The pines guard their secrets dearly. Should new apartment blocks have car spaces for each occupant? Should new apartment blocks have car spaces for each occupant? Although a dedicated sceptic and staunch unbeliever in anything supernatural, I HAVE been to a few places where Id be reluctant to spend the night. It was the first Hudson in the RAAF to be fitted out with passenger seating, to be reserved for transporting "essential maintenance stores and personnel to advanced operational bases", as well as ministerial traffic when required. The dedication occurred on the twentieth anniversary of the crash. Deja not-so vu: plenty to surprise audiences at the 2023 French Film Festival, New multi-day walk set to take trekkers on a stunning South Coast journey, 'A great deal of hurt': Footage shows Thomas Matthews crashing car into three police officers. Have you had an experience at the Air Disaster Memorial? Visit the darker side of Canberra's past. . When we started talking again the noises would come back, this went on until we left, recalls Mr Evans. The fatalities included several members of Robert Menzies' ministry who were flying to Canberra for an important war cabinet meeting. I was afraid, even aborting the walk once - butI forced myself to be brave, returnedand persevered. Thick cloud cover blocks out any light provided by the near new moon. Are surrounded by Pines ; their branches rattling in the Fairbairn pine Plantation on the eastern edge of &! 4 senior government figures as its national Capital is the nighttime security guard the location of the 9/11,. 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