© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

Author: Greg Ray

This author has written 481 articles
Read more about the article The runaway plane and a midair collision: a bad month at Bankstown Airport, August 1955
Melbourne Argus clipping of the pilotless plane incident

The runaway plane and a midair collision: a bad month at Bankstown Airport, August 1955

August 1955 was an eventful and tragic month at Sydney's Bankstown Airport. On August 12 an Auster monoplane (VH-AAL) and a Tiger Moth biplane (VH- APF) collided about 100m from the ground as they came in to land at the airport, killing three men and injuring another. As they struck, the two light planes locked together and fell into thick scrub about 100m from Milperra Road. The Auster belonged to the Kingsford Smith Aviation Flying School and was piloted by 26-year-old instructor Jaroslav Kosner. He and his passenger, student pilot Edward Cowley, 45, were killed, as…

Continue ReadingThe runaway plane and a midair collision: a bad month at Bankstown Airport, August 1955
Read more about the article Krystyna’s dancing journey from Greta Migrant Camp to Sydney’s Chequers Nightclub
Krystyna over the years. Photos supplied by Krystyna and her son Alex.

Krystyna’s dancing journey from Greta Migrant Camp to Sydney’s Chequers Nightclub

Krystyna Kurzydlo was six-and-a-half when she arrived in Australia in 1950. Her Polish parents had been forced labourers of the German Nazi regime during World War II, and were anxious to escape from Europe. They spent years after the war moving from one "displaced persons" camp to another before finally being accepted by Australia. Krystyna's parents - Tomasz and Zofia - had hoped to go to America, but her father's illiteracy prevented that, and Australia seemed the best chance for the family. Australia wanted cheap labour and population growth, but it also wanted to restrict its…

Continue ReadingKrystyna’s dancing journey from Greta Migrant Camp to Sydney’s Chequers Nightclub
Read more about the article Australia’s year of the skidmark

Australia’s year of the skidmark

This was the year that started with a bushfire crisis that sent the prime minister scuttling to Hawaii - telling his staff to lie about it if anybody asked. This was the year of the bushfire recovery fund that didn't seem to help too many people, but provided a handy $10million to cardboard squillionaire and Trump buddy Anthony Pratt. It was the year of the awful drought, which brought to light the appalling destruction of our inland river systems, aided and abetted by the National Party and its friends and donors. Thanks to Barnaby and Angus…

Continue ReadingAustralia’s year of the skidmark
×
×

Cart