SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Alcock and Brown

Honourable senators, today I’m pleased to present Chapter 58 of “Telling Our Story.”

2019 marks a significant anniversary in the history of aviation and, once again, it all started in Newfoundland. Flying from St. John’s to Europe at the present time takes anywhere from five to six hours in the comfort of an Airbus or Boeing aircraft while you watch a movie, enjoy a lunch or take a nap.

What we enjoy and take for granted today would not be possible, though, without the knowledge and bravery of two pioneers, namely Captain John William Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown. These two adventurers became the first pilots to successfully complete a nonstop trans-Atlantic flight. Their journey was inspired by a contest organized by the owner of the London Daily Mail who offered a £10,000 prize to the first pilots who successfully completed the journey.

There was no designated airport in St. John’s in 1919 so, on June 14 of that year, a great crowd of onlookers gathered on a patch of land called Lester’s Field. It was here that Alcock and Brown prepared their twin-engine Vickers Vimy plane for the infamous flight where they hoped to make aviation history. The plane was named after the famous World War I battle at Vimy Ridge.

Alcock carried a small linen bag which contained 197 letters that the Postmaster-General in Newfoundland had entrusted to the fliers. As you would understand, airmail stamps had not yet been invented. There were concerns with the takeoff because of the shortness of the bumpy field and the surrounding tree line, along with the weight of the additional tanks carrying the extra fuel required for the flight.

With a frugal meal of sandwiches and coffee prepared by Miss Agnes Dooley of St. John’s and secure in their open-cockpit airplane, around 1:40 p.m. Alcock and Brown began their journey down Lester’s Field.

The sirens of the vessels in St. John’s Harbour blew a final farewell as the Vimy passed overhead and out to sea.

Almost immediately after takeoff, the aircraft’s radio died so the duo were flying without a way to communicate. With the bare minimum of meteorology forecasts, they had no idea of the type of weather they would encounter. They ran into fog and experienced an issue with ice. At one point, Brown was forced to climb out on one of the plane’s wings to get rid of the ice build-up. I guess we could call that the first act of de-icing.

Through all the trials and tribulations they endured the two pilots kept the faith and, at 8:40 a.m. on June 15, 1919, after flying for approximately 16 hours and travelling 3,040 kilometres, they crashed-landed in Derrygimlagh Bog, near the town of Clifden in County Galway, Ireland.

Alcock and Brown were treated as heroes on completion of their flight. They received their £10,000 reward from the London Daily Mail which was presented to them by the Secretary of State for Air at the time, Winston Churchill. The pair were knighted a week later by King George V at Windsor Castle.

This year our province will observe that historic achievement that began in Newfoundland and eventually changed the world. There will be a commemorative flight to Ireland, an Aviators Ball, a downtown festival, historic stage production and so much more, including a special exhibit presented at The Rooms in St. John’s focused on the history of aviation entitled “Second to None.”

Honourable senators, you’re all invited to come and see for yourselves.