| Brief Description |
Black and white photograph of three men standing on a platform addressing a large crowd gathered around them. The men are the noted aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith at right, the Mayor of Whanganui, Bill (William) Rogers OBE who is talking to a crowd, and a flier in Kingsford Smith's air team. The photograph was taken during Kingsford Smith's visit to Whanganui in September 1928.
Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith was an Australian aviator born on 9 February 1897. As well as serving in World War I and in the Royal Air Force, Kingsford Smith is known for being the first pilot to fly non-stop across the Australian mainland, for the first Trans-Pacific flight, for the first Trans-Tasman flight and for taking part in the England to Australia air race. He died on 8 November 1935, aged 38, after crashing his plane in the Andaman Sea, off Burma.
Bill Rogers served as Mayor of Whanganui 1927-1931, and returned for a second term 1935-1953.
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