The Initial Search for the Lady Southern Cross
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The following documents describe the initial search by the Royal Air Force, Far East based in Singapore.
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(Source: NSW State Archives, Probate Packet for Sir Charles Kingsford Smith)
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Personnel
of No. 205 Squadron, Royal Air Force at Seletar, Singapore with
Short Singapore III K3593 in November 1935. Two of these aircraft
were used on the search but it is not known if this particular
aeroplane was involved.
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Personnel of No. 100
(TB) Squadron, Royal Air Force with Vickers Vildebeest aircraft
in their hangar at Seletar in 1935. The squadron was deployed
to defend Singapore in January 1934. Four of their aircraft were
used on the search. The squadron was still operating the type
at the outbreak of hostilities in 1941.
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On 15 November 1935,
nine Vildebeest from No. 36 (TB) Squadron joined the search. The
squadron had re-equipped with Vildebeests in July 1935 and was
still operating the type when WWII began. It is presumed that
this photo depicts personnel from 36 Squadron.
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The Ted Wixted Searches for the Lady Southern Cross
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Nobody has been more
invested in locating the final resting place of Smithy, Tommy Pethybridge
and the Lady Southern Cross than the late Ted Wixted. Being
the eminent historian that he was, Ted has painstakingly documented
his searches in two publications. Any attempt at summarising his
published material could not do him justice so Ted's work should
stand alone in his own words.
Subsequently, in 1996, Ted published his definitive work The Life and Times of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Chapter 14 of which is devoted to his searches for the Lady Southern Cross. Click on the front cover of the book to download a PDF of the entire chapter.
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The Damien Lay Searches for the Lady Southern Cross
As a follow-up to the
search led by the late Ted Wixted in 1983, film-maker, Damien Lay, travelled
to Myanmar (previously Burma) in February 2009. At a press conference
in Sydney on 22 March 2009, Damien Lay announced:
"Without shadow of a doubt, in my mind, we have undoubtedly found
the Lady Southern Cross".
Mr Lay is reportedly
seeking funding to pursue the search to a conclusion and to produce a
feature film on Smithy. The film is to be titled "The Lost Anzac".
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Thanks
to:
Ted Wixted Mick Raftery Tim Kalina |
