First published in The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 26th May 1930
SMH Headline from 26 May 1930, announcing Amy Johnson's great feat of travelling solo from England to AustraliaCredit: Sydney Morning Herald
DARWIN, Saturday [24 May 1930]. Miss Amy Johnson landed at Darwin at 3.55 this afternoon (Darwin time ). She made a graceful landing, amid rousing cheers from an immense crowd.
Thus ended an epic flight from London to Australia, after nineteen days of peril and anxiety, which marks one of the finest achievements of the air.
Miss Johnson set out from Atamboea at dawn on the perilous "hop" across the Timor Sea to Darwin, where she was awaited with anxiety.
Up till half-past 11 o'clock (Darwin time) she had not been sighted. At 12.25 p.m. (Darwin time), however, the steamer Phorus, midway between Atamboea and Darwin, reported that Miss Johnson had passed over, and later wirelessed it was following in her course.
The successful flight of Miss Amy Johnson from England to Australia has evoked world-wide interest.
English aviatrix Amy Johnson in the cockpit of her plane, in Sydney shortly after the completion of her epic England-Australia solo flight, 1930Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Archives
As soon as the news was flashed out that the aviatrix had landed safely at Darwin congratulatory messages from the most distinguished aviators and statesmen poured in.
They pay glowing tributes to her skill and determination in accomplishing the epic flight.
Their Majesties the King and Queen have sent a message of congratulation.
It is expected that Miss Johnson will leave Darwin, via Brisbane, for Sydney today.
THE FLIGHT
The story of the flight is the story of the joyous self confidence of a girl of 26, with only 90 hours solo flying to her credit, and her determination to justify her belief in her equality with man.
Setting off from Croydon aerodrome [London] on May 5 for Australia, Miss Johnson was provided with a few sandwiches, some chocolate, and the abundant faith in herself of a girl just out of her university.
The first stages of the venture were unmarked by especial incident until Constantinople was reached. There she discovered a leak in the petrol tank. This remedied, Miss Johnson passed on, crossing in transit the Tauurus Mountains, which stretched darkly ahead, barring her passage to Aleppo.
Nothing daunted Miss Johnson, who previously had seen nothing more terrifying than the smiling English countryside, conquered the mists and darkness of the range, which towered 8000 feet above. She reached Aleppo in safety, and set off for Bagdad in high spirits; but flying over the desert she was forced down by a dreadful sandstorm.
No more amazing adventure than this occurred on the flight. Landing in an unknown spot, she kept a lonely vigil in the shadow of her 'plane until the storm passed over.
English aviatrix Amy Johnson with a man working on her Gipsy Moth plane "Jason", Sydney, circa 30 May 1930.Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Archives
The distant barking of dogs reminded her of the possibility of attack by marauding Arabs, and she sat, revolver in hand, ready to give a warm welcome to raiders. So fierce had been the storm that the staff of the Imperial Airways at Bagdad had given up hope of seeing Miss Johnson that night.
Imagine their surprise when a speck in the northern sky materialised into Miss Johnson and her Gypsy Moth. The staff, which has seen the principals In many famous world flights, votes Miss Johnson's the most wonderful.
The hop to Karachi was uneventful, and on May 11 she left Calcutta, and was forced to land at Jhansi for petrol. Allahabad was reached in the morning of May 12, and in landing Miss Johnson grazed the wing of her 'plane on an iron post. An Indian carpenter, however, soon made good the damage, and Calcutta was reached two days ahead of Hinkler's time.
DOGGED BY MISFORTUNE.
The record seemed in Miss Johnson's grasp. The world was breathless from the speed of her achievement. Then Miss Johnson came to grief near Rangoon.
Mistaking a playing field for the racecourse, she made a perfect landing, but the wheel of the Moth ran into a hidden ditch, and the 'plane crashed. Miss Johnson escaped unhurt, but the damage to the 'plane was extensive, the wheels, wing, and propeller being damaged.
The two days which were occupied in making good the damage upset the attempt on the record; but, undaunted, Miss Johnson proceeded to Bangkok, and, in spite of bad weather,
landed there after six and a quarter hours flying.
Over the last portion of the route, regarded by all flying men as the most hazardous of all, owing to unreliable weather conditions, monsoons, and large areas of water and jungle, the eyes of the world were upon her.
It is safe to say that there was no one who did not wish that the luck which to this stage had favoured Miss Johnson might continue. Each step was watched with the keenest interest, and sighs of relief accompanied her each successful landing.
Amy Johnson holding a teddy bear, at Mascot, Sydney with her Gipsy Moth plane "Jason" ca 1930.Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Archive
In these last stages, however, her luck which had been so good, changed, and misfortune after misfortune dogged the plucky girl, urging her each with greater insistence to give up and acknowledge defeat.
Her challenge to fate and her domination of circumstance is an epic of history.
Miss Johnson left Bangkok on May 17 for Singapore, and was obliged to land at Singapore that afternoon for fuel. She stayed there over-night, and proceeded to Singapore on the following day.
A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE.
"It was dreadful, dreadful, dreadful I thought 1 would never make it. I really thought that it was the end." In these words Miss Johnson described her terrifying experience on the trip from Singapore to Tjomal.
Between Singkep and Banka heavy squalls and dense rainstorms obliged her to change her course towards Sumatra. She flew over stretches of dense jungle, and the wind bumped the machine within a few feet of the tree-tops. She was ready to jump with her parachute at any moment.
Then, when crossing the Java Sea, the monsoon compelled her to fly just above the water. She expected to crash into the water at any moment. "I was terrified of the sharks waiting for me to fall," she said of this experience.
It was a great relief to her when she saw the outline of the Java coast. Following this she eventually reached Tjomal. She discovered that she was running short of fuel, but she was unperturbed. She kept a sharp watch for an emergency landing field, and presently espied a clear area.
It was small, but Miss Johnson made a perfect landing, her machine coming to a standstill a few yards from the door of the office of the manager of the Tjomal sugar estate, in the centre of Java.
She received a warm welcome from the employees on the estate, and spent the night at the home of
Amy Johnson waves to crowd at Town Hall in Sydney on 4 June 1930Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Archives
the manager and his wife. In the morning it was discovered that a number of stakes had peirced and torn the wings of the Moth, and some delay occurred while temporary repairs were made. She left late in the morning for Sourabaya.
Miss Johnson was tired out when she reached Sourabaya. "I want so much to rest," she said upon landing. The engine had functioned irregularly at times during that day, she said, but attributed this to a leak in the petrol pipe.
ENGINE TIRED.
When Miss Johnson reached the field to resume the flight she was informed that the mechanics, who had been working on the 'plane all night, had been unable to repair it completely. The plucky girl could scarce restrain her tears at this further delay, and admitted that the 'plane was the worse for wear.
A magneto connecting rod had become worn, and the engine was losing compression. A sporting aviator on the island, who had lent her a propeller to replace the one she had damaged, heard of her plight and lent her his magneto.
Repairs having been satisfactorily made on May 22 Miss Johnson piloted the now protesting Jason to Atamboea, landing at Haliloelik en route.
On Saturday morning she decided to commence the last stage of the long journey to Darwin. She had stated her intention of making an early start, but, acting on the advice of the civil aviation authorities and the Shell Company, who stated that prevailing south-east winds would render the flight dangerous before 10 a.m., she postponed her departure.
Before Miss Johnson commenced the 480 miles hop the Shell Company notified her that the oil tanker Phorus, which Is bound from Sydney to Balik Papan, had been instructed to heave-to midway between Atamboea and Darwin, to give the aviatrix her bearings.
LORD WAKEFIELD'S HELP
Mr. Cyril L Westcott, representing Lord Wakefield in Australia, stated last night that Lord Wakefield backed Miss Johnson's flight and gave her support when all other support had been refused.
Miss Johnson, he said, had cabled to him instructing him to control all matters on her behalf in Australia. In a telegram from Darwin she said: "Thanks for congratulations. I wish to express deepest gratitude for all your help," and signed it "Johnnie."
Mr. Westcott added that in a telegram from Darwin, the Castrol representative, Captain S. W. Bird, stated that Miss Johnson's height was 5ft 3 1/2in. In her dress she preferred a normal waistline, and her favourite colour was green.
Amy Johnson waving to the crowds from the back of a car, Sydney, 1930.Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Archives
PROGRESS. OF FLIGHT.
May 5: London to Vienna.
May 6: Vienna to Constantinople.
May 7: Constantinople to Aleppo.
May 8: Aleppo to Baghdad.
May 9: Baghdad to Bunder Abbas.
May 10: Bunder Abbas to Karachi.
May 11: Karachi to Allahabad.
May 12: Allahabad to Calcutta.
May 13: Calcutta to Insein (near Rangoon).
May 14-15: Delayed at Rangoon during repairs.
May 16: Rangoon to Bangkok.
May 17: Bangkok to Singora.
May l8: Singora to Singapore.
May 19' Singapore to Tjomal.
May 20: Tjomal to Sourabaya.
May 20-22. Delayed by repairs.
May 22: Sourabaya to Atamboea.
May 24: Atamboea to Darwin.