1953 London - Christchurch Air Race

I am interested in this info. Flight L/tnt R L E Burton R.A.F. won the race in 23 hrs 53 mins in an R A F Canberra.I saw this plane in the RAF Museum Hendon England during a celebration of the Canberra's 60th birthday.

My dad, Alan Parrish was on the ground crew, he was an airframe mechanic and has told me a little bit about this. He is a modest man and I would love to surprise him with some photographs or a book on the subject if anyone has any! Even better if he is in them. He said he saw himself on some TV footage a while back but can't remember what the programme was. Any info or reference to dad or the event would be great.

I am an 80 year old man but remember the klm plane
arriving in CHCH very well .We were all so very proud of being Dutchies on that day.There were lots of Dutch flags , where they duck them up from I wouldn't know, b ut it brought tears to my eyes, we had no cars in those early days and hondreds of us biked to Harewood as it was then called to see our KLM.[ Koningklijke luchtvaart maatschappij,] don't try to say that for you'll be all day Lots of water has flowed through the Avon since those early day's. I have over the years had lots of lip, but most people
agree that the Dutch made good immigrants.I am on my last legs so to speak but I have learned to love this country and CHCH is great,
Yours Adrian
Just a little rhyme
at the wars weary end , we left our dear land
our cities and towns all bombed out
with hope in our heart ,looking for a new start
in the land of the long white cloud

The funny money we earned, the new language we
learned, took long months to make them our own
but we did persevere, and in less then a year
the seeds for a new life were sown.

in a fifty year span, I became an old man, and
sometimes I feel sad and blue, You did right by me
but did I do right by thee ?I hope so for I love you true
Adrian CHCH NZ