I dont think I've View, Great work, looking forward to seeing the progress. 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. On 13th August 1940, three Commonwealth ministers, the Chief of General Staff, two of their staff and four crew members flew in a RAAF Lockheed Houston aeroplane from Melbourne to Canberra to attend a Cabinet meeting. Richard Edwin Elford. www.metaloweserca.org - ul. 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. National Film and Sound Archives It may explode and kill you! Ive taken a wrong turn and have reached the boundary of the adjacent military target area (the original access to the memorial). She is said to be wearing slightly outdated clothing, with long brown hair that is pulled up. Of course, there is only one way to find out. But I felt, that little animals made the noise. I stumble on a pine cone. In the decades since, the crash. Blundell's Cottage is among the sites shrouded in mystery. An account of his comments appears in the book Air Crash vol. The Air Disaster Memorial on Mount Ainslie is another place reputed to be haunted.. Even during the day the area around the memorial is spooky. In many cases, yes. The coroners report was exactly the same for all men, only the names were changed. This columns recent expose on the Air Disaster Memorial (ADM) has promoted a large amount of correspondence, particularly regarding on the sites spooky nature. 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. They got out of the car and she disappeared. Thornthwaite was identified by his personal belongings, White by his general's insignia, Street by a signet ring, and Gullett by his dentures; Fairbairn and Elford were identified by previous injuries. The aircraft, a RAAF Lockheed Hudson II bomber, was flown by an experienced Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) officer, Flight Lieutenant Robert Hitchcock. As we have seen, ten people died in a horrific fiery crash on the very site. The Canberra Air Disaster, 1940 The wreckage of the Lockheed Hudson air crash, Canberra, 13 August 1940. and 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. Can all these people be wrong? Rather than spooks emerging from the darkness, the only thing I need to be wary of are mountain bike riders hurtling at breakneck speed around corners. I'd like to see the economic modelling thats been done. The biggest one being, who was flying the plane? Australias 16th Prime Minister governed the country from Room 214 during the 1940s and unexpectedly died from a heart attack in this top floor room. Nah! The man who was supposed to be flying the plane and the man who was blamed for the crash was Robert E. Hitchcock. 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. Subscribe to receive the latest local voices straight to your inbox. With nothing more to gain, I jog back to Fairbairn Avenue, careful to dodge every pine cone along the way. The cause of the crash has always been a mystery, although there has never been any suggestion of enemy action or sabotage. Surrounded by thick vegetation the memorial is simply a large rock sitting on a round bed of gravel. Why are holidays in Australia so expensive right now? 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. A Narrabundah reader recently attempted his own nocturnal visit, and like me, left more than a little unnerved. If so, Id love to hear from you. With my clothes wet from a nervous sweat and the temperature struggling to stay above freezing I reach for my camera to take a photo of the memorial. Some people get little orbs of light in their photos here which paranormal aficionados suggest is evidence of ghostly energy. 2 by Australian aviation writer Macarthur Job (Aerospace Publications, Canberra 1992). Warning: Even if the gate is unlocked, park at the gate and walk in to avoid your vehicle accidentally being locked in. 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 Canberra Times was representative : "These losses to Australia come at an hour when least of all we can spare theservices of those who can lead and direct us through hours unparralled in their significance for the future welfare of this people. In August 1940, just after the start of World War Two, three Cabinet Ministers and the Chief of the General Staff, plus another six people were killed when a Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed Hudson bomber stalled and crashed into the mountain. But this alone should not make it more spooky or overwhelming than say the site of a train crash, or a car crash. It was a series of four coordinated attacks by the Islamic terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, on the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The bodies were removed from the scene and taken directly to the morgue for identification and autopsy. > Yep, you have to walk there as the gate is locked. In many cases, yes. Despite her pregnancy having been confirmed in November 1970 by her physician, there was no evidence of a fetus when her body was found. The splat of the paintball guns and the hollers of the revellers seem distinctly out-of-place. On the morning of August 13, 1940, a Lockheed Hudson, registration number A16-97 was on the way to Canberra from Melbourne. Extract taken from A Case for Ghosts by JG Montgomery (Ginninderra Press 2012). Collaboratively and competitively delivered across the nation. Rolling Hills Asylum is one of the creepiest places in New York. Copyright 2023 Region Group Pty Ltd ABN 85 168 887 232. By submitting your email you are agreeing to Nine Publishing's Hey, would you be willing to share your experience for an article I am writing? The memorial commemorates a plane crash that occurred in 1940 and killed 10 people, including 4 senior government figures. Almost as ridiculous as the uphill rolling cars is the myth that, if your car stops on the cattle grid near the memorial, a ghostly nurse who was present after the 1942 aircraft crash, and who tried to help, will coming running from the forest and try to get into the car, as if to help you. A journalist until his enlistment in 1916, Gullett became Australia's official war correspondent for the AIF in Palestine in 1918. Australian War Memorial In some circles, the night time trip to the memorial is considered a rite of passage. Just 3.2 kilometres off Pialligo Avenue is the Canberra Air Disaster Memorial, a large granite monolith with a commemorative plaque that marks the location of a plane crash in 1940. On the 13th August 1940, a Lockheed Hudson II Bomber crashed at Mount Ainslie in the Australian Capital Territory just outside of Queanbeyan in New South Wal. 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. Menzies was deeply affected by the crash, both personally and politically. 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. The plane immediately burst into flames and while it only took rescuers a couple of minutes to arrive, all ten passengers and crew were beyond hope of rescue. Wanting to stay overnight in Melbourne to celebrate his first wedding anniversary, he traded places with Arthur Fadden, who instead took the overnight train.[15]. Resolution of conflict withincommunities, workplace, families. It disappeared behind a low tree-dotted hill. In April 2022 the New Zealand artist Anthonie Tonnon released a single entitled Lockheed Bomber based on the disaster. Its been 75 years since a Lockheed Hudson bomber crashed into a hill between Canberra airport and Queanbeyan, killing 10 people. This memorial cairn has been erected to honour the memory of, Brigadier the Honourable Geoffrey Austin Street, M. C., E. D. All ten people on board were killed: six passengers, including three members of the Australian Cabinet and the Chief of the General Staff; and four crew. The stories behind the people and places that make Canberra what it is. Newspaper editorials across the country recognised this. Tim makes a nocturnal trip to the memorial of Canberras worst air disaster alone. Chief of the General Stafff. With the onset of World War II, Street's portfolio was split, and he became Minister for the Army. The embarrassment alone, if not the alcohol, would be enough for anyone to come up with some sort of supernatural excuse for their stupidity. These ten people included three cabinet ministers, Australias top Army general, a lieutenant colonel, a private secretary for the air minister and four R.A.A.F crew members. There was also the question of why the plane sat at the runway waiting to take off for an additional 10 minutes after it had been cleared for takeoff. Theres an anecdote of a fireman kicking what he thought was a burning log out of the way only to discover that it was part of a body. On the evening of February 26, 1971, a 20-year-old woman named Keren Rowland went missing. Up one last hill and I finally reach the memorial. The aircraft crashed into a hill with great force, killing all occupants instantly, then burning fiercely. Photographs supplied by Jason Hitchcock / Henry Moulds, Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au, Monument Australia 2010 - 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Designed by, Pialligo Avenue, Fairbairn Pine Plantation, Majura, 2609. [10] Prime Minister Robert Menzies' assistant private secretary Peter Looker had reserved two seats on the flight, but Menzies also preferred to take the train. Mills advised Goodwin that his jurisdiction was limited to determining the identity of the victims and their cause of death. Pine forests are renowned for being biodiversity deserts and at night that is particularly the case. Even though the plane practically pancaked onto the ground, many people suggested the crash would have been survivable for many had it not immediately burst into flames. . The Air Disaster Memorial on Mount Ainslie is another place reputed to be haunted. They flash really quick but they also could've also been raindrops as it was spitting a bit. If you go on the weird Canberra tour with Tim the Yowie man they actually have a key to the air disaster memorial area and drive the bus in there. A new book Meditations in Orange will be available through Pendragon Publishing & Design later this year. Private Secretary to the Minister for Air. Wikipedia entry, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), National Archives of Australia fact sheet 142, ABC News 75th anniversary of the disaster. Chief of the General Stafff, Lieutenant - Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, DSO, MC Surrounded by thick vegetation the memorial is simply a large rock sitting on a round bed of gravel. 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]. Affixed to the rock is a plaque dedicated to the dead. On board were 6 government officials and 4 crew members who all perished in the crash.It is alleged that the crash site is one of Canberra's most haunted sites so of course I had to go and check it out.Airmen on fire have been sighted.Ghostly figures have been also been seen darting across the pathways, disembodied footsteps and even the sound of a phantom plane crash have all been witnessed.What I wasn't prepared for was the epic hike to get to it.. so I sucked it up and took my time.Was it sabotage?Or was it an accident?Who knows.You can see some light anomolies captured after the 16 minute mark, after the spirit box session. Just wondering. But what happened next was a disaster. 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. There are seven seas, seven wonders of the world, seven colours in the rainbow, seven dwarves and the worlds favourite number apparently, seven. A few documented stories. Apart from allegedly making your car stall, she doesnt really seem to do much else at all. Canberra's best regional produce is just a click away. Unlike most other places, this location has more than one legend attached to it. The monolith was dedicated on 13 August 1960 in the presence of the Prime Minister, the Hon. This remote and slightly eerie site would make a good setting for a scene in my next book, and I am contemplating a meeting between Clio and Renee occurring here for a number of reasons. War historian and MHR for Henty Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? 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. Have they simply misinterpreted what they have experienced? An officer in the Australian Army from 1910, Thornthwaite was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross for his service during World War I. Kerens father told police that she had just been through a broken engagement and was approximately 5 months pregnant. He had been a special magistrate since 1930 and was "experienced in coronial duties". To make matters worse, it suddenly dawns upon me the uncanny resemblance that a pine cone bears to a hand grenade, especially in near darkness. The Air Disaster Memorial is important for commemorating the location of the 1940 plane crash that killed ten people, including three Commonwealth Ministers and the Chief of the General staff. I pick it up perhaps I can throw it in self-defence. On leaving I could see and hear kangaroos jumping ahead and behind me. [26] There is anecdotal evidence that at least one eyewitness believed there were still people alive after the crash. Two friendly ghosts remain, and staff at the Mint believe they were once staff members themselves. A. F. Pilot Officer Richard Frederick Wiesener, R. A. Vandalism or public liability perhaps? As if the strange lights werent creepy enough, there are reports of a ghostly figure dashing across the road, sometimes shrouded in flames. The Air Disaster Memorial is dedicated to the memory of those who died when an RAAF Lockheed Hudson aircraft crashed on this site on 13th August 1940. Ive never experienced. 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. Interestingly enough, people have reported seeing a young woman standing near the edge of the clearing at the Canberra Disaster Memorial. My reduced state of anxiety doesnt last long. Sarah Collins you will have to make a special trip to the north side so we can go!!! Do the spirits of these men haunt the pine forests and lonely dirt roads that lead to the memorial itself? Jump to. The attacks killed 2,996 people and injured over 6,000 others and . 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. Expert strata, facilitiesand building management services. The loss of so many men vital to Australias war effort was a severe blow to the country. View, Emily Jayne I was about to tag you ! Build in 1833, its Canberras oldest building and home to the citys most famous ghost Sophia Susanna Campbell. Lieutenant Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, Staff Officer to General White. Of course, this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever as no nurse died in the rescue attempt and as far as I can ascertain, no WWII nurse has ever died on Mount Ainslie. By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's, Exhibition Gallery, National Library of Australia (Parkes Place -Canberra ACT 2600), Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra, National Museum of Australia Lawson Crescent Acton, ACT 2601, Grass fire sparked near Majura Firing Range, Two people killed in highway crash near Gunning, Man accused of breaking the law one hour after receiving bail, Amaroo man refused bail over allegedly collecting 500,000 files of child abuse, All aboard? Theres nothing unusual about a car stalling and then rolling forward. She had been dead for a short while before her body was found, but none of the ground around the guard was disturbed. Suggestion is a major reason for individuals experiencing occurances. At night shadows loom and recede in torch light and one can be easily forgiven for imagining human shapes in the gloom. Am I being followed? But it is. If the supernatural were real, it would be natural. 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