Talk:1937 Airlines of Australia Stinson crash

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Westray found later, not at time of crash site discovery. edit

Latest comment: 2 years ago5 comments4 people in discussion

I think the following sentence about O’Rielly finding the crash is misleading.

“They had been able to get water from a creek about a mile from the crash site but had had no food. William Guthrie (Jim) Westray, aged 25, from London, received only minor injuries in the crash but died later when he fell over a waterfall while going to find help.”

This sounds like O’Rielly arrived at the site to be told that Westray was dead. I think that Westray was not at the site, but O’Rielly found him when he was going down the mountain for help. O’Rielly actually spoke to Westray before realising he was dead, propped up against a tree.

Can anyone clarify this, as I feel it’s an important distinction. I read the book about the O’Riellys a long time ago, but feel my recollection is good on this point.--Dmol (talk) 19:32, 9 November 2019 (UTC)Reply

I found and added a citation from the newspapers of the time. The sequence of events was O'Reilly found Westray's body, and then later he found the crash site with the survivors. Kerry (talk) 06:50, 2 January 2020 (UTC)Reply

My home is Beaudesert and I've followed the Stinson story over the years, including last weekend on 19th Feb 2022 at a gathering to mark the 85th anniversary of the crash. The sequence in the current Wiki article is definitely incorrect. In the last few days I have reviewed the transcripts of the 1937 Coroners Inquest statements from O'Reilly, Proud and Binstead. O'Reilly discovered the crash site and survivors Binstead and Proud at about 4:30pm on Sunday 28th February. After making them as comfortable as he was able he headed off down the mountain intending to follow Christmas Creek to the closest farm to summon help. Westray had left the morning after the crash with the same intent. O'Reilly's statement says he found Westray's body about 1.75 to 2 miles from the crash site. Brendan4285 (talk) 11:23, 22 February 2022 (UTC)Reply

Bernard O'Reilly describes the events in the same order as you in his book Green Mountains, chapter 3, "Rescue" (which is oddly not cited in this article). He finds the crash site, then goes for help and finds Westray. The cited source in that sentence in the article, "Westray died from fall", The Courier-Mail (3 March 1937), doesn't support the sequence as currently described in the article; it ought to be changed. -- Michael Bednarek (talk) 13:00, 22 February 2022 (UTC)Reply

I have made the change (on 23 Feb 2022) using Bernard O'Reilly's statement to the Coroners Court as the reference. I'm happy that it's a more accurate description now. The Coroner's Court documents make fascinating reading - not polished prose, but the story from the participants barely 6 weeks after the crash. I may consider a few more edits or additions when it's all digested. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Brendan4285 (talk • contribs) 07:43, 23 February 2022 (UTC)Reply

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