Finding Anderson

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 71, 26 April 1929, Page 9

Finding Anderson

By Telegraph―Press Association—Copyright

Australian Press Association

THE ATLANTA'S DISC0VERY Pilot Brain Tells His Sad Story

"HEARTS FULL OF SORROW"

(Beceived This Day 3 p.m.) SYDNEY, This day. Pilot Brain, describing the finding of the Kookaburra, says. "We left Newcastle Waters on Sunday morning and' headed for Wave Hill. We came over desert country with wild tintber. Flying along at 80 miles an hour, the conviction grew 011 nte that it was liere that tlie lvookahurra had lteen lost. "Suddenlv I saw a faint eolumn of smoke about 60 miles to our southwest. Aly companion also saw the smoke. The Atlanta came down to 20)00 feet, and we all watehed while I turned the ntachine from side to side, to look earefully underneath. "AYhen within 20 miles of tlie smoke, we disceined a hig area sniouldering and a thrill struck into my lieart. No ordinary ehanee could set the scrul) afire, as there is 110 lninian life in this loealitv except the niggers, who mav come along in the wet season. "Suddenlv I diseovered soinething which did not seem to helong to this desolate bush. I jumped to the conclusion that heye lay Keith Anderson s plane. After continuing n furtlier three miles, I saw the Kookaburra lying there. "A radio message was immediately sent out, the engines were sliut olf and we came low over thc Kookaburra. AIv feelings were those oi ]iride and exultation, thouglit 1 had arrivcd to rescue the two men, both personal friends. "AA'e eircled round and looked for signs of life and as the niachine swooped within 20 feet of the grouiwl I saw a man's figure lying in the shado of the wing. He hu- as if asleep, but hc was dead. "I realised the tragedy wlien the drone of our plane failed to move him. He was dead, and had heen so for some days. I can not iorget the inert silenee of this sad figure. "After eircling round some ten times ' I heeame certain that it was Keith Anderson and skirted round tlie burning area searching for Hitchcock, hut there was 110 sign of him. Thinking, however, tliat he might he in the vicinity, supplies were dropped hy parachutes. Landing would have heen exeessively dangerous and of 110 use. "Exultation had heen our first emotion 011 sighting the lvookahurra, hut we returned to AA'ave Hill with our hearts full of soTrow for the crew's certain death. Tlie Atlanta, which had left AA'ave Hill for Brisbane, was diverted at Longreacli, and covered 1000 miles from there to Sydney vesterday.