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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0736.PDF
Sir Sefton Brancker, Prince Feisal, the Maharaja of Burdwan, the High Commissioner for Australia and Dame Mary Cook, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Duke of Sutherland, the Marquis of Lincolnshire, Viscount Burnham, Viscount and Viscountess Chelmsford, Lord Thomson, the Mayor of West- minster (Councillor G. H. Heilbuth) and the Mayoress, preceded by the Mace-Bearer (special permission having been given for carrying the mace into the precincts of the House) Sir Charles "Wakefield, Bt., and Lady Wakefield, Lieut.-Col. Moore-Brabazon, M.P., Sir Newton Moore, M.P., Sir F. Hall, M.P., Sir R. Waterhouse, the Right Hon. J. Ramsay MacDonald, M.P., and Miss Ishbel MacDonald, the Right Hon. T. P. O'Connor, M.P., the Right Hon. J. H. Thomas, M.P., Colonel de Satage, Capt. Ian Fraser, M.P., Mr. J. D. Cassels, K.C., M.P., Mr. J. M. Erskine, M.P., Mr. George OCTOBER 7, 1926 F.ight minutes later the machine returned to Westminster and, after flying two or three times past the Houses of Parlia- ment, Cobham came in low over Westminster Bridge—now completely blocked with vehicles and pedestrians—and, with a brief side-siip, gently alighted on the Thames—at 2.27 p.m.— right opposite the Terrace. As the machine came to rest a motor launch dashed up alongside and took the seaplane in hand, whilst Cobham and his companions climbed out and got into another boat, which conveyed them to the Terrace steps. All this time the cheering never ceased, but increased in volume as Cobham was seen to dash up the steps—three at a time—and embrace Mrs. Cobham, who was awaiting him at the top of the steps. Sergt. Ward and Mr. Capel followed shortly after. After a short interval, the party, including the Speaker (Mr. J. H. Whitley), Sir Samuel Hoare W. 55 8S England-Australia- England, Going Ashore: Mr. Cobham and bis engineers, Sergt. Ward and Mr. CapeJ, leave their hardy D.H.50J seaplane, after alighting on the Thames, and pro- ceed by boat to the House of Commons Terrace, where official welcome awaited them. Balfour, M.P., Mrs. and Miss Porteous (the aunt and cousin ofMr. Cobham), and officials of the De Havilland Company. At 2 o'clock, when Cobham was expected to arrive, all eyes were turned eastward, and one could almost feel the intense excitement that prevailed all around. Weather conditions were ideal, there was very little wind, and the sun was shining through scattered clouds. Suddenly, at 2.13 p.m., a shout went up " There he is ! " and the D.H.50J appeared over the County Hall, flying com- paratively slowly at a few hundred feet, with the engine purring proudly. Instantly there was a spontaneous roar of cheering, a blowing of sirens and motor horns, and as the machine flew past the " House " towards Hammersmith, we could see the occupants waving their arms to the crowd below. The machine passed quickly out of sight, following the course of the river, and all the way up to Hammersmith, where Cobham made a wide circle before turning back, large crowds of people sent up a mighty cheer. and Sir Sefton Brancker, proceeded to the Speaker's house, where a private reception was held, after which they made their way—withjdifnculty—through the crowd to the official reception enclosure on the Terrace, when the airmen were officially welcomed by Sir Samuel Hoare. Sir Samuel then read the following message from the King"]: " On your safe return from Australia, I offer you a cordial welcome home and congratulate you heartily on the successful termination of yet another historic flight. " GEORGE R.I.'' After reading this message, Sir Samuel said he was proud it was his good fortune, on behalf of the British People, to offer a welcome to Mr. Cobham and his two colleagues on one of the most historic sites in the centre of the Empire, where several generations of the ablest men of note in the service of the State had been received from year to year. It was the first occasion on which the Terrace at Westminster had received one of the great pilot pioneers of the Empire, and 652
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