Blundell's Cottage is among the sites shrouded in mystery. According to, Last edited on 28 November 2022, at 06:06, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Australian Capital Territory Advisory Council, Air Disaster Canberra: the plane crash that destroyed a government, "Lockheed Hudson Mark II Serial Number A16-97", The 1940 Canberra air disaster that changed history and the unanswered questions that remain. 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. Now surrounded by the Fairbairn Pine Plantation, the area has become known for The Burning Airman urban legend. The loss of so many men vital to war administration in Australia at the time was a devastating blow. The Air Disaster Memorial on Mount Ainslie is another place reputed to be haunted. 1940 A461, 700/1/391 Air accident involving deaths of Commonwealth Ministers and others. 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. Warning: Even if the gate is unlocked, park at the gate and walk in to avoid your vehicle accidentally being locked in. And yet, there are still cases that defy explanation.. However, during the inquest hearings rumors began circulating that the Air Minister, James Fairbairn was overheard saying that he was hoping to get a chance to fly the plane during this short trip. Local Business. instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser, Eight destinations that films and TV shows changed forever, From borders to tunnels, here are 10 of the world's astonishingly long things. Of course, there is only one way to find out. It goes like this: A young girl was found beneath a cattle guard near the memorial. This memorial cairn has been erected to honour the memory of, Brigadier the Honourable Geoffrey Austin Street, M. C., E. D. This 5.5km loop through the Fairbairn Pine plantation outside of Canberra is a nice trip through dense pine forest with a unique stop along the way at the Air Disaster Memorial. "[13], The plane came down in a paddock on "Dundee", a grazing property of 888 acres (359ha) owned by Duncan Cameron.[14]. The Canberra Fire Brigade and ambulances from Canberra and Queanbeyan, across the border in New South Wales, as well as several Air Force tenders, arrived soon afterwards and fire extinguishers were played on the blazing wreckage. Interestingly enough, people have reported seeing a young woman standing near the edge of the clearing at the Canberra Disaster Memorial. I've never experienced The weather was sunny and clear, and people had remarked earlier that morning that it was a perfect day for flying. The dedication occurred on the twentieth anniversary of the crash. The Air Disaster Memorial on Mount Ainslie is another place reputed to be haunted.. The Air Disaster Memorial is not on Mount Ainslie. Jump to. Yep, you have to walk there as the gate is locked. It was not clear where the sound was coming from; if we were quiet and tried to listen the noises would stop. The Air Disaster Memorial sits in the Fairbairn pine plantation on the eastern edge of Canberra. Music: Thunderstorm - Hanu DixitLove what I do? A memorial was suggested in Parliament by Dr Maloney (Labor) on 14 August 1940. A coronial inquest was conducted by John Goodwin, the chairman of the Australian Capital Territory Advisory Council and the territory's acting coroner. [20], Goodwin's report, issued on 27 August, accepted the identification of the victims made by Duncan Mackellar, the medical superintendent of Canberra Hospital. General Sir Cyril White, Chief of the General Staff. Theyre always anonymously shared in the vaguest of terms. Accessibility Help. [7] Fairbairn invited three other senior officials to join him on the flight Geoffrey Street, Minister for the Army; Henry Gullett, Minister for Information, and General Brudenell White, Chief of the General Staff. Meanwhile Simon Evans of Isabella Plains claims he experienced phantom footsteps while recently being dared to visit the haunted site with a couple of friends. Some of our group also swear they saw a person on the track leading up to the memorial. The embarrassment alone, if not the alcohol, would be enough for anyone to come up with some sort of supernatural excuse for their stupidity. I regained the car and returned to my home - but the memory of that sinister place lingers with me still.. Its just past 11pm and as I carefully clamber over the first gate it immediately feels like Ive entered another realm. The memorial is a large granite monolith with a bronze inscription with a dedication to the . Love your home every day with quality products from Monaro Screens. "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. 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. Just wondering. My friend told me about 10 years ago, him and his mates went up there and saw a young girl near the gate. In 1953, the RAAF base at Canberra was renamed Fairbairn Airbase in Fairbairn's honour. If Monument Australia is useful to you, please make a donation to keep this historical and educational resource available. Blundells Cottage When we started talking again the noises would come back, this went on until we left, recalls Mr Evans. The area surrounding the memorial is quiet and even in the day one gets the feeling of being watched. . 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. Having said this, was a nurse involved in the rescue attempt and the whole thing was so traumatic that somehow she left some emotional remnant of herself in the mountain? [28] The RAAF's Inspectorate of Air Accidents, led by Arthur William Murphy with the assistance of Henry Winneke, submitted a report on 16 August which concluded that the immediate cause of the accident was a stall. Lieutenant - Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, D. S. O., M. C. Flight Lieutenant Robert Edward Hitchcock, R. A. Canberras annual Craft Beer & Cider Festival keeps coming back bigger and better, with 2023 being no exception. And because the site has this odd feeling one can only speculate that it must be amplified at night, possibly the reason why so many strange stories are told about the place. Staff Officer to Gen. White, Mr. Richard Edwin Elford but according to some, there are other memories of the crash still around as well. History has shown us that ghosts and the supernatural are entirely imaginary. The fatalities included several members of Robert Menzies ministry who were flying to Canberra for an important war cabinet meeting. Isnt the Air Disaster Memorial inaccessible at the moment because you have to go through the paintball field to get to it? google street. A. F. Aircraftsman Class 1 Charles Joseph Crosdale, R. A. Air Disaster Memorial [Ghost Strikes Again] 30 September 2009 | Panhead Join the conversation 16 Trekked out there a few nights ago and were victims of the car stalling and rolling forward experience. > Yep, you have to walk there as the gate is locked. Suggestion is a major reason for individuals experiencing occurances. Maybe thats why ghosts hate cars. The attacks killed 2,996 people and injured over 6,000 others and . Had they been thrown there on impact, or had they tried to make it off the plane and been overcome by smoke and fire? When the fanatical Christians are up there its spooky. And yet, thinking back, I am now not so sure. It was a series of four coordinated attacks by the Islamic terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, on the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. However it was not until Dame Annabelle Rankin wrote to the then Minister for Air, William McMahon, about the request by Sir Brundenell White`s relatives that a small cairn be erected at the point of the crash in memory of those who lost their lives, that the suggestion was given serious consideration. 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. . A break in the trees on your left reveals a low cement plinth in the shape of an aeroplane wing stretching toward you. It was felt that, in 1940, Australia still had not committed fully to Canberra as its National Capital. History has shown us that ghosts and the supernatural seem to be commonplace and that a large percentage of people in the western world, indeed from all races and religions, not only believe in ghosts but have also experienced something that they believe is of a supernatural origin. Nurses honour one of their best with unique statue to be installed at War Memorial, Odd jobs: horror movies are real life for Canberra's paranormal investigators, Candid shot of college years going 'up in smoke' finalist in photography competition, Things to do in Canberra this week (22 - 28 April). The plane was not instantly disintegrated upon impact. And yet their lives were extinguished faster than the fire on a match head in a breeze. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Resolution of conflict withincommunities, workplace, families. It seems fitting that these sounds intrude; linking the past to the present. The Air Disaster Memorial has a dark history with vehicles, Ten key moments from 95 years of the Canberra Airport. Given this, we still must wonder about the ten men killed on the fateful day in August. Some commentators used this issue to demand, once again, that all Commonwealth Administration occur at one Seat of Government. As a general election was already due by the end of the year, it was felt prudent to call it for September, to avoid the necessity of also holding three by-elections for such a short term. [9] Two other ministers, George McLeay and Arthur Fadden, were also invited, but declined seats as they had already arranged to take the train. Here lies unexploded ordnance. 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. I sit on a stump to contemplate what a terrible sight must have greeted the first rescue crews to reach the burning wreckage. Anyone else have any stories? The aircraft, a RAAF Lockheed Hudson II bomber, was flown by an experienced Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) officer, Flight Lieutenant Robert Hitchcock. The monolith was dedicated on 13 August 1960 in the presence of the Prime Minister, the Hon. At the far end a grey metal plaque has been erected on an aerodynamic lectern, its surface weathered by hard Canberra winters. Live it up, Lakeside.New spaces. The decision to not photograph (or even sketch) the scene with bodies in place, would cause people to question to this day: Who was really flying the plane? Can all these people be wrong? 2 by Australian aviation writer Macarthur Job (Aerospace Publications, Canberra 1992). I'd like to see the economic modelling thats been done. 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 latter I can totally dismiss as an urban legend most probably started by someone who, whilst drunk, forgot to put their car in gear and pull the hand brake on, only to watch it roll away backwards at a later time. [Ed] And there the story ended as though the ghost had come to finish poor Panhead off. Where to eat, what to drink in the Canberra region. One of the mates freaked out and sat in the car and the other mate tried to approach her, she ran off again into the darkness of the trees. The Cabinet was permanently weakened by their loss, and that was a factor undermining Menzies's position in the following months. His opinion was that all men died instantly before the plane caught fire. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Visitors to the heritage-listed cottage on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin swear they often smell burnt flesh on the breeze. For many years, this monolith was the only memorial to a disaster which changed the course of the war for Australia, and was partially responsible for the fall of the Menzies government. So how then exactly did the original poster have the car stalling and rolling forward experience? I was sure Id charged the camera fully before leaving home. The coroners report was exactly the same for all men, only the names were changed. 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 biggest one being, who was flying the plane? A March 01, 2023 | Country Getaways, Food & Drink, Dining, Travel, Entertainment, Music. Who while serving their country lost their lives on this spot in an aircraft accident on 13th August 1940. Racawicka 2, 37-700 Przemyl, Polska - email: smsprzemysl@wp.pl - KRS 0000240966 3) Rolling Hills Asylum. James Fairbairn, Minister for Air and Civil Aviation. All ten men in the aircraft - four crew and six passengers - lost their lives in the crash. Despite witness descriptions of the vehicle, the driver of the car was never identified. The man who was supposed to be flying the plane and the man who was blamed for the crash was Robert E. Hitchcock. As if the strange lights werent creepy enough, there are reports of a ghostly figure dashing across the road, sometimes shrouded in flames. Theres the teenager who left the surrounding forest screaming that she was being followed by an airman on fire and many folk have heard dull explosions and the noise of a crashing plane. Cockpit For All Aircraft. R. G. Menzies, who had also been Prime Minister at the time of the accident. Chief of the General Stafff, Lieutenant - Colonel Francis Thornthwaite, DSO, MC And yet, if it is a spooky place during the day, and moreso at night, then why? As we have seen, many strange stories are attributed to the Memorial and it is almost a right of passage for young men and women to go there at night although these days the road is locked off and access is difficult. Considering my car is an auto as well. Sorry guys, didnt actually mean to post this. The memorial commemorates a plane crash that occurred in 1940 and killed 10 people, including 4 senior government figures. My melancholic contemplation is broken by the noise of an aeroplane. The crash took place at 10:15a.m. in fine weather, in what the Melbourne Herald called "ideal flying conditions". The deaths of the three cabinet ministers severely weakened the United Australia Party government of Robert Menzies and contributed to its fall in 1941. An account of his comments appears in the book Air Crash vol. The same car was spotted speeding past the Canberra airport towards Queanbeyan about 10-15 minutes later. 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. 1 Aircraft Depot at RAAF Base Laverton on 20 June 1940 and assigned to No. Rhetorical question. Though it was not dread, it was a distinct feeling of unease asI headed down to the opening in the forest at the site of the ADM. As the myth goes, she has smashed windscreens to get into the car, simply to help those in there, believing them to be part of the Hudson crash. 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. 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. It disappeared behind a low tree-dotted hill. Sounds creepy, maybe we should camp there a night. . Private Secretary to the Minister for Air. Horror plane crash that destroyed a government The accident site of the crash. Not only was this crash a tragedy for all of the family and friends of the men killed, but it was also a tragedy for Australia; the prime minister had just lost some of his closest friends and allies. RAAF emergency crews were on the scene within minutes but the force of the crash was considerable and all were presumed killed instantly. At 8.47 a.m. he and three crew members left RAAF Laverton for Essendon Airport. Resolution of conflict withincommunities, workplace, families. She was supposed to meet her sister at a party but never arrived. 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? Another oddity about the inquest is the causes of death. According to an August 14, 1940 article in The Argus Officials who examined the wreckage are certain that it was very little damaged in the landing, and that had the fire not occurred, the occupants would have escaped. It seems perhaps it was easier on the coroner to tell the families of these men that they died instantly from skull fractures, and not that they died a horrible death from smoke inhalation and fire after the initial crash. Over time the costs of maintaining this website have risen substantially (in fact they are probably larger than those of many companies who exist for profit). If you want more detail, youll just have to sign on to one of Tims ghost tours. Even during the day the area around the memorial is spooky. terms and conditions Minister of State for the Army : Minister of State for Repatriation, The Honourable Sir Henry Somer Gullett, K. C. M. G. During the 1970s some residents complained regularly that freshly made beds would be found rumpled and the room strewn with pillows. Two of the ministers were later followed into federal politics by their sons, Jo Gullett and Tony Street. After about half-an-hour, when the blaze had died down, it was seen that the entire undercarriage, wings and structural supports of the plane had been torn away and were a smouldering mass in which were the charred bodies of those on board. The Outcome MattersNext Level DentistryNext Level Outcomes, Trekked out there a few nights ago and were victims of the car stalling and rolling forward experience. 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]. 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. I have heard first, second, third and fourth hand stories of cars losing power and failing to start, lights fading, whispered voices, and most oddly, cars rolling uphill of their own accord. Some people get little orbs of light in their photos here which paranormal aficionados suggest is evidence of ghostly energy. If you stop your car within a certain distance from the guard, your car will stall. Yep we have spooks from all walks of death, some born from suspicious circumstances, terrible endings and others that have simply refused to move on. Thememorial itself embodied sadness, the inscription and the names discerned by the feeble light of my torch. I dont think I've View, Great work, looking forward to seeing the progress. Has a dark history with vehicles, ten key moments from 95 years of the was! Australia at the gate and walk in to avoid your vehicle accidentally being locked in the Burning Airman urban.. General Sir Cyril White, Chief of the accident site of the Canberra Airport towards Queanbeyan about 10-15 later. Entirely imaginary didnt actually mean to post this Party government of Robert Menzies who! 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