SHIP sirens screamed.

more than

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1981,

Sand He flew into the unknown—without navigation or radio

million voices cheered

us the seaplane swooped

low over London and few along the Thames. Four times the D.H. 50 biplane dived down. Then the pilot shut off the engine close to Westminster Bridge and, at precisely 2.26 p.m., touched down on the water in front of the Houses of Parlia- ment.

At the ending stairs by the Speaker's House, the pilot was welcomed by leasing Cabinet Ministers, including the Air Minister, Str Samuel Hnare. who delivered telegum of welcome from King George V. Four days later, the pilot re- relved knighthooth,

The lates WAS October 1926-35 years ago-- and air ploteer Sir Alan Cobhans har completed the thirst and #reatest of his historie Empire tight-28,000 miles to Austra Ha and back.

تا دیا

He was the Best nan to dy from Great Britai to the Antipolies and return the same route, And not since Alcock and Brown Rew the Atlantie non-stop in 1919 bar a light by a British nirman so emptores the public Imaginos that,

Capetown and back

Sir Alan W une of several trail-blazers who hit the bend- tines regularly in the pianten- ing That year he had ulready uredag. Une first man to make the 190grom Eng- land to Capetown Lak back. Bart :|

With th three~

mouth journey, over a distance greater than the cireuniterence

First return flight to Australia

regarded as "an ordinary piece of everyday business."

As it happened, this was the

most unikely way to descile Cobham's flight. For suddenly, when all had been going well. his murney exploded into dranea. OF 1 most singular

pature.

Blinding

dust-storm

on

JJuly

ANNIVERSARY STORY

By

GUY JONES

by

Sea and reached Surabaya, They planned to enver between 700 and 1,000 miles a day until they reached London,

But the time-table had noi allowed to the monsoon, On the next stage they were caught in fearful storms over the Indian Ocean. They were forced to make a perilous landing be/ on reet-infested waters inke shelter on an uninhabited Island.

11

For days the world lost all trace of Cobham's scaplane. Finally, on September 15, week after he had left Perang, In the Molay Peninsula, cămî

Cubham Next came the nerve-racking the news that

had aight to Puri Darwin, northern landed safely in Rangoon.

point of Austraila- journey beruss 500

miles

of storm Infested waters, fucing a teree heed-wind which made anvi gation targely guess-work,

There was only one answer: Cobhum resumed his night on to ly to Basra, where Elliott July 19. Battling through the could receive hospital care. So mankoon. he reached Karachi, his 100-mile Dell, Calepito, Singapure and Cubhom begun

akknming Surabaya, Javn. At every stop It happene

race against time, how radiu

Over the swamps when Coblen, without

welcomed and he was

huge crowds. mad modern invigational aids, Baally hatching down on the

wich nod accompanied only be an Tigris at Bra. There, Pagineer, Arthur . Enlott, the aid of natives, he lied was lying through a heavy the wounded Elliott into

Euphrates launch and then rushed him

Calcutta On they flow-to to hospital for an operation. dust-storm over the swamps In Iraq

(September 18), Albens (28th) They had already had one There had been no pressure

and Paris (30th). By now, the forced landing. Now they had on the petrol the pipe, n

British Government had drawn second dust-storm, with earthly reason why it should

Up a massive programme 10 stently worsening. have burst or wounded Elliott Visibility

welcome the conquering hero. For hour after hour [ur nu apparent so severely. Yet now the en- Suddenly,

dew on, without sight of tundi.

On October 1, crowds cheer- reason, there was an explosion glacer's condition was eritical.

with the petrol getting lower el Cobham all the way from Why had it happened? 10- in the cabin, severely wounding

and lower. They could only Hastings as that

he flew low, over Elliott at the arm and chest, vestigation revealed

"I hot-tempered Cobham reported Inter:

Arab shepherd wonder whether they were on

the countryside by

Way course. Finally, on August 5 Maidstone to Gravesend, And stantly suspected that one of hd fired his rifle at the sea-

plane when it was a bare soft, they were only live miles off Bridge,

they reached Austraila-and bar sunny mckets used Jur

se up the Thames ouer Tower

past above the Euphrates swamps.

the City to the rocket pistols bad gone off,

hud The ballet had seviyed the

their target of Port Darwin. Hammersmith and back or that possibly Elolt nevidentally freit my revulver. petrol pipe, then it Ellioil's At Sydney, over 60,000 people Westminster.

meta

they

His engineer died on the way- shot by a shepherd

shut the engine of and asking if the earth, that reatly yelled to Eliot, stirred the whole Empire.

there was a tire and he called "No," but that he was

Yet it started quietly enrough, back Without cervinong, 32-year-old it. I could see his face which was very pale, KO 1 passed wha pene and paper through

near

Alan Cobham left the Mortway

Rochester at June 30. 19926. Without inci- dent, he reached Marseilles at 11.45 am then Naples in the evening. By July 3, he had

ther

window from the cockpit tu the eain and opened up the

pine again."

bott Teebly scribbled that

arm and passed through his left lung.

Elliott, 20 and married, died In hospital two days later.

Cobham snapped bitterly: "It is a fans and cruel blow, prob ably dutie by some irrespousi- ble fool who couldn't do again if he tried."

It was a chance in a thou

and, and now Cobham's faith.

in the enterprise was shatter-

his orm and bunyi. He wanted to call of the

arrived on schedule at Alhums. the petrol pipe had burst and

The light to Australia had wounded already been aeliteved, bat "Am bleeding a pot of bleod.. Cobham wanted to demonstrate he wrote.

the commercial possibilities of such a journey by flying there and bark with the sainë mag- hine and engine. He said: The thing must essential to the future of British Empire.

trade is the rapid development of air routes within the Em- pire."

He explained that the return flight was the important part of

Critically ill

The bent was almost unbear- able and they were flying over desolate, trackless swamps. Cobham could not risk a land-

his enterprise, that this was ing on the water as he might not to be anothing death-or- have diffleulty in starting the lory Hight but an example of engine single-hantied In the how such a journey might be terrife heat.

NOW

take

good

look!

RONSON

then ill-omened journey, but aeable from his wife in Eng-

and urged him to carry

ut

lo

gathered to welcome them; In When they had landed, Sir Melbourne, a crowd of some Samuel Hoare read aloud the 150,000 cherred their arrival. King's telegram: "On your safe Two weeks Tater, on August return from Australia, I offer 29. Cobhom left on the return you a rordla) welcome home, Bight--with an additional crew- and congratulate you heartily successful termination man, an expert engineer named on the Capel from the Armstrong- Siddeley Company,

Mi.sing for days

of yet another historic flight." Four days later, at a lunchron given by the Air Counell, Sir Samuel announced that the King had conferred a knight- hood on Mr Cobham and that the AFC and OBE had been awarded to Set Ward and Mr Capel respectively.

(All rights reserved)

air

Cobham crossed Australia, The flight was hailed 03 and he ghined fresh heart. from south to north, in three "the greatest all-British

Cobham, under great strain and a half days-easily record project that has yet been atu from having both to fly and

September

B, templed." Bavigate

himself, by

how time and by needed another engineer,

they had re-crossed the Timor Ita England, scores of volunteers came forward, bat eventually the breach was filled by an uninserted Service engineer, ; Sergeant Ward, from the local, RAF station.

After Elliot had been buried with full military honours at the British cemetery in Basra,

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Mainly for Men

by ANGUS MCGILL

IN Americo, it seems, the London Line is the biggest thing in male fashion since the dear dead drape. They like it in Sweden, too. They like it in Denmark. They think the world of it in Belgium, Holland, France and Switzerland.

Indeed, apart from China, Bechuanaland and parts of Huehuetenango, the one place it is hardly noticed is London. Few Londoners know they have a line. Or, if they do, they can't think, off hand, what on earth it is.

la fact most of us are wearing something ap- proaching the London Line right now. And the London Line for 1002, introduced with a great Nourish a few days ago, seemed so ordinary that Home

us wondered what the fuss was all about.

of

The London Line, then, Is the long, alender, aris- tocratic line, especially suited to the Englishman who, as every. Fluchuc- Lenangun knows, is a long, slender aristocrat.

Jackets, trousers, over- coals, shoes and ties are all slim and well-bred. Lapels and hat brims are narrow and elegantly shaped. Suits are over zu slightly waisted. And the line is the same 1092 only more 10.

Aristocratic-

that's how

you can look

THE LONDON LINE, onu bo double-breasted, ton -- but tha klimmest double-breasted" øver,

the viglie walsjing,

"Thly null ́h"by" "Aquasentum.

PICTURE BY: JOIN' GOLK

off the peg

The hot-tempered Arab raised his rifle and fired.

IF THE TIE FITS

The necktie oft proclaims the man. What does your tie tell us about you?

THE MADE-UP DOW The harassed organiser of the works social and the bingo barker. Under the big smile and the loud voice small ambitions and no self- confidence. The social climber without a hopa. WAAAAAAAAA

or

THE EDWARDIAN CRAVAT

The family policitar eldarly basi mapagar, pro. claims that Did Ways Ace Bost. A tie you can trust,

REGIMENTAL

Factory manager and motor -car FAİNEMAN, personnal officer and mamoir-writing General A tle nostalgic for past glorion, Those Wess the Daye Hie.

TUCKED IN BOW

Primp Ministers, dobr delighti and profesional escorts, supramaly self-conti- dent tie, not, as a rulo, safa in Jaxis.

STRAIGHT AND NARROW Journoilets, aclors, talo- vision Interviewers. The non- participants' tie, a tle with strong opinions, liitto security and the ared to be in the

wim.

THE LECITIMATE BOW

The rising politician and the boardroom pour, best- selling novelist and advertit- Ing executive, Extrovert. ambitious,

esteem,

boundles

Let other nations pad their

old ones are and the milis couldn't turn it dead for years. Now a man in shoulders extenvagantly, drape perfectly sound

fast enough. Nowadays, a blue sult can feel smart again. their chests, cut short their jac out-dated. The tailors, who plan- out

thank ned it this way, are delighted.

goodness, cloth a much He can still feel amari In kets to display their bottoms.

The Masters of Savile Row, more interesting.

turn-ups but not for much The Londoner in his London

longer. The best of the sults Jina keeps the shoulders he was of course, don't hold with catch

In A whole new world of subtle I saw lately were all with-

colour is being woven in born with, drawa na attention phrases lite London Line. bts chest, wears his jacket their eyes every suit they quite

elegance and the impression of and out them with a great gain in

decent length.

has a London line and right too. The outstanding ele Let other nations suggest that gance of their clothes is unmis« their clothes speak of forceful takable. masculinity and virility.

The Londoner In his Loniton Lige replied that as he has these

things abundantly he does not need to speak of them.

SLIMNESS

But today you can also Ond And he goes on wearing the shape and real style in ready-to- quietly

clothes wear clothes if you choose care- understated while are still envied and fully, cupigil all over the world.

SLOWLY

Compared

I have recently been looking

at some of the new sults wither

flits in something we are going to get more of.

height.

Colourful cloth, Blender all- houettes and no turn-ups in

meant

One new process, it is claimed, can put five or six times the amount of colour into cloth.

London next year will In these suits even a material colourful cloth, slender silhou- that looks plain grey from across etter and no turn-ups where- the room turns out to have a ever an airline will take you

pattern rich background

For whatover the line, i2 bronze or blue,

London decrees it the world enjoying a will follow.

Blue, indecil,

of

big come back, It has been

-London Express forvice).

ONE UNDER THE EIGHT

on sale or noon to be on aple. I was very impressed.

THE

The sulle were very individum E Pipkin, which has just heon Introduced by Friary

with women's but they have a line in common, Meux, will be a most welcome guest it bottle parties alother which change their out the essential ellmness, the sun all over London this winter. line almost as you jook, men's fidently, modern feel which is clothes change slowly. Hut not as very welcome. slowly as all that.

It is a supremely hospitable can containing soyon

They are light, too. Even pisis of excollent draught bitter ale. It to quite a weight, Look at the fashion pintes of winter suits are now being made of coures, but party-givors will be delighted to see you only 10 years ago. How heavy of much lighter cloth. And they with n Pipkin Licked underneath your arm. the shouldera seem. 'Flow" wide are surprisingly colourful for

thia trousers. How long and le is another major change in Keep tho Pipkin cool and the beer will inst in posk`.

lent-like the overcoats.

In fact, for the Dri Ume to

our ways.

Ten years ago Bellain

TVEN

condition for seven to in days. Once opened the heer decades men are now having to drearily awash with charcoal aliould be drunk within two or three days, It costs only kur now' puitu 'Just because their grey.

Everyone word the sift 118.

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