The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933)(about) |
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Tuesday 17 September 1929
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GROUP CAPTAIN ERIC DOUGLAS - RAAF - (Gilbert) Eric Douglas 1902 -1970 BANZARE - Gipsy Moth Seaplane VH-ULD TSS NESTOR TO SOUTH AFRICA - log by Eric Douglas in 1929
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THE ANTARCTIC.
MAWSON EXPEDITION. MEMBERS LEAVE MELBOURNE.
MELBOURNE, September 16.
As the Blue Funnel liner Nestor cast off from Prince's Pier, Port Melbourne, at midday on Saturday, an aeroplane of the Royal Australian Air Force, which had been circling overhead for some minutes, swooped, and dropped a message of farewell to the six mem- bers of tile Mawson expedition to the Antarctic who are travelling by the steamer to Capetown to join the Dis- covery. Simultaneously three cheers
were given by the small crowd as- sembled on the pier. Two members of the expedition, Instructor Com- mander H Moyes and H O Fletcher, of the staff of the Australian Museum, boarded the Nestor at -Sydney, and they were joined at Melbourne by Dr W Wilson (medical officer to the ex- pedition), Mr R A Fella (of New Zealand, assistant zoologist), and Fly- ing Officer SAC Campbell, and Pilot Officer G E Douglas (the two airmen of the expedition) Mr Fella, the New Zealand Government nominee, who is making his first trip to the Antarctic, will concern himself chiefly with the study of bird life, In which he considers that there is a wide field of research. Mr H Fletcher will make a study of marine life, and will also act as taxidermist Sir Douglas Mawson and the remainder of the personnel of the scientific and general staffs will leave from Ade- laide. Among those who said "good- bye ' to the party at the ship's side yesterday were Professor Sir Edge- worth David, who like Sir Douglas Mawson was a member of the Shack- leton expedition in 1909, Commodore J B Stevenson (acting Flrst Naval Member), and the secretary of the Air Board (Major Coleman)