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Pioneer pilot was unknown to us all
OUR May meeting began with the AGM. The chair reported how, despite the impact of Covid-19, our membership had increased to over 400.
Many groups were able to meet via Zoom during the pandemic, which had kept members active within their groups.
Meetings were gradually returning to face-to-face.
The accounts were accepted and auditors approved for the next year.
Officers were elected and a new chair and secretary appointed. The existing treasurer and committee members were re-elected. New members were voted onto the committee to replace those whose tenure had run out.
The speaker was introduced and to set the scene, took the audience back to 1931 when a small light aircraft was placed on exhibition in an under
ground station at Charing Cross (now Embankment).
It was watched over by police and belonged to our speaker, The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce.
The little aeroplane was a “Bluebird Blackburn” and after a month at the station was exhibited at various sites around the country.
Mrs Bruce and the aeroplane had just returned from a five month flying adventure and had picked up several world records along the way – but who was the Hon Mrs Victor Bruce and what exactly did she do?
Paula Cornwell, in the character of the Hon Mrs Victor Bruce, related more about this woman’s amazing adventures.
Mrs Bruce asked how many of the audience had heard of her – no one. How many had heard of Amy Johnson – everyone.
Amy Johnson flew solo to Australia on recognised flight paths and returned home on a commercial flight.
Mrs Bruce flew solo round the world on her own flight paths – and no one had heard of her!
Mrs Bruce came across the Bluebird Blackburn light aircraft while on a shopping trip.
The thought of flying solo round the world caught her imagination and she bought the plane.
The salesman explained to her that the plane had a range of 700 miles. This restricted her flying to mostly overland then using shipping to transport the plane across the oceans.
She would have to work out her own routes.
Once she had worked these out, she contacted embassies to gain permission to land and refuel.
She had to have extra fuel alongside her in the cockpit. There was little room for luggage and she was embarrassed to reveal “she didn’t think to bring her fur”. She flew 500 miles a day. Her chosen route took her east with stops in Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
Nine days into her flight an oil leak caused a forced landing on the shores of the Persian Gulf, where she was sheltered for two days by Baluchi tribesmen, before a British rescue party reached her. After a delay of several days for repairs, she flew on to India, Burma, Siam (Thailand), and French Indo-china (Vietnam). Torrential monsoon rains forced a landing in a jungle clearing beside the Mekong River.
She flew on to Hanoi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Seoul, making the first flight across the Yellow Sea.
On November 24, 1930, having covered 10,330 miles (16,620 km) in 25 flying days, she reached Tokyo.
She crossed the Pacific aboard the Empress of Japan to Vancouver.
Her flight across North America was not without incident: an undercarriage failure on landing at Medford, Oregon, caused extensive damage and another week’s delay.
She reached her announced destination of her mother’s birthplace, New Albany, Indiana, by way of San Francisco, San Diego, St Louis and Chicago.
She finally reached New York City in early February 1931.
She sailed on the Île de France to Le Havre, and on February 19, 1931, flew to Lympne Airport, having flown about 19,000 miles (31,000 km).
On February 20, she was given an aerial escort by Amy Johnson, Winifred Spooner and others to Croydon Airport, where a reception of press and celebrities awaited her.
She was given a bunch of flowers in recognition of her exploits, whereas Amy Johnson received a new plane and £10,000.
The Hon Mrs Victor Bruce was the first person to fly from England to Japan, the first to fly across the Yellow Sea, and the first woman to fly around the world alone (crossing the oceans by ship).
There is no June meeting because of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Our next meeting is on July 1 at the Elim Church at 2.30pm. Simon Corble will present part two of “White Light, White Peak” July – December.
Simon will show his photos of the Peak District while reading poetry and anecdotes.
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