A RECENT Border Watch feature retracing the 50th anniversary of the 1919 Great Air Race has led to the discovery of a historic photograph series documenting the century-old aviation feat.
Mount Gambier resident Rhonda Leach scoured through her father’s photography collection after reading the September 6 article which highlighted the 1969 London to Darwin journey by fellow city resident Peter Coulson.
Mr Coulson recalled taking flight 50 years ago to retrace the landmark journey undertaken by South Australian pilots Ross and Keith Smith, whose four-man crew successfully completed the navigational feat in just under 30 days.
Recalling a series of photographs passed down by her father before his death around three decades ago, Ms Leach went searching for the collection.
“I have had these photographs for years and I know my father gave them to me I just cannot remember when or why,” Ms Leach said.
“I was thinking about them and found them before I saw the article in the local paper about the man travelling the same route.
“This sparked a connection between the original flight and my father’s photographs.”
Ms Leach said she was not surprised the photographs passed down were of the historic race, stating her father was known for his adventurous personality.
“He would race motorcycles down by the beach and do all sorts of things,” she said.
“But he was a very quiet man so I do not know why he had these photographs.”
With many questions about the photographic collection, Ms Leach is now calling on the local community to help solve the mystery behind their origin.
“I want to know where he got the photographs from, who is in the photographs or even who took the photographs,” she said.
Anyone with any additional information about the photographs is asked to contact The Border Watch office.
