Air Disaster Memorial
Pialligo Avenue
Majura ACT 2609
Historical associations with the Great War can be found in many unexpected places. On a hill near Canberra Airport is a site dedicated to the memory of several distinguished Australians. A plane carrying three federal ministers bound for a Cabinet meeting - Sir Henry Gullet, James Fairburn and Geoffrey Street - crashed on approach to Canberra on 13 August 1940. All 10 people on board were killed. It was a time of new national crisis during World War II, and the accident was a blow to the war effort. Australia could ill afford to lose such experienced and capable men.
It is not immediately apparent that this site has any particular association with the Great War. However, it has a direct connection to one of the twin pillars of the founding of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF).
One of those killed in the crash was General Sir Cyril Brudenell Bingham White.
In life, according to Charles Bean, who wrote the official history of Australia's part in the Great War, White was one of two formidable Australians who were 'each [an] outstanding servant of [their] country' and 'inseparably allied in their greatest achievement, the creation of the AIF' - the other being Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges. Bean called White 'the greatest man I have known'.
White had a very long and illustrious career and saw distinguished service in World War I. After the war, White continued to serve his country. He was recalled to duty as Chief of the General Staff and, at age 63, was promoted to the rank of General. The cause of the crash is unclear.
Across the valley, virtually on the next hill to the west, is the tomb of Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges. Bridges was the only Australian soldier whose body was returned to Australia for burial until return of the Unknown Soldier in 1993. Bridges' grave and the Air Disaster Memorial are both accessible from the Queanbeyan road just past the Canberra Airport, and might form part of any visit to places of significance linked to the 'creators of the AIF'.
Visitors to the Air Disaster Memorial follow a well maintained walking path for 3.2km, mostly a moderate uphill climb, to reach the memorial site. The round trip takes about 1.5 hours.
References
- CEW Bean, Two Men I Knew: William Bridges and Brudenell White, Founders of the AIF, Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1957
- CD Coulthard-Clark, A Heritage of Spirit: A Biography of Major-General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB, CMG, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1979
- Jeffrey Grey, 'White, Sir Cyril Brudenell (1876–1940)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/white-sir-cyril-brudenell-1032/text15983
- Michael D. De B. Collins Persse, 'Fairbairn, James Valentine (Jim) (1897–1940)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/fairbairn-james-valentine-jim-364/text10519
- A. J. Hill, 'Gullett, Sir Henry Somer (Harry) (1878–1940)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/gullett-sir-henry-somer-harry-448/text11157
- Cameron Hazlehurst, 'Street, Geoffrey Austin (1894–1940)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/street-geoffrey-austin-946/text15215