Chronicle Editor
Prosper Ndlovu, Business Editor
A LARGE crowd gathered at the Corner of Winnie’s and Fairbidge Ways in Bulawayo’s Bradfield suburb yesterday to commemorate the 100th anniversary since the country’s first aircraft, The Silver Queen, touched down in the City of Kings, having flown from Livingstone in Zambia.
Excitement gripped the memorial site as city residents, both young and old and aviation enthusiasts, scrambled to get a glimpse of the memorial plaque and pictorial displays of the first aircraft, whose arrival on March 5, 1920, and crashing near Matsheumhlophe River on the following day, were reported by this publication.
The National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ), prominent historian Mr Rob Burrett and other stakeholders, collaborated to host a well-planned and fairly attended event, which was not only captivating but highly educational.
A fly-past moment by Mr Jonathan Pretorius using a plane model called “Coconut”, gave the event the memorable touch and significance typical of all grand national occasions. Different speakers took turns to express joy over the event while those who attended were afforded time to ask questions, interact with historians and examine part of the aircraft’s remains.
Nine-year-old Matthew Zevgolis, also left the crowd amazed in admiration when he showcased his design model of the Silver Queen.
Cresta Group of Hotels chipped in with catering services for all guests as well as a PA system and chairs. There was also opportunity for those keen to make donations towards preservation of such heritage efforts.
The Silver Queen, a Vickers Vimy aircraft, was attempting the first Trans-Africa flight between the United Kingdom and South Africa, hoping to win the £10 000 award offered by the newspaper group, the Daily Mail, according to historians, Rob Burrett and Tawanda Mukwende in their book, Bulawayo Memories.
National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) director for western region, Dr Moira Fitzpatrick, commented: “This is part of our heritage and we are excited to be part of it. It is wonderful to see everybody come here and we are impressed by the turn out”.
Chairperson of the Friends of the Museams, Mr Gavin Stephens, said the event was very significant for Bulawayo to remember its role in the national heritage and aviation history in particular.
Group Captain in the Airforce of Zimbabwe, Upenyu Chitauro, said the event was historic and that the Airforce shares a lot of interest on the aviation side of history with NMMZ. Bulawayo Publicity Association (BPA) director, Mr Moreblessing Tshuma, said the event was memorable for Bulawayo as it builds into the township tourism drive.
Flown by two South Africans, Lieutenant Colonel Pierre van Ryneveld and Major Christopher Quintin Brand, the first plane in their adventure took off from Brooklands aerodrome in England headed for Cape Town on 4th February 1920. Passing through Cairo, engine failure necessitated an emergency landing in Korosko, Sudan, in which the plane was wrecked. The Royal Airforce then lent them a similar Vickers Vimmy now named Silver Queen II. This plane reached Bulawayo drawing huge crowds of the inquisitive and landed on what is today Ascot Racecourse.
At that time The Chronicle reported that: “It had been arranged that the day of the arrival of the first plane should be a general holiday as from the time the warning guns were fired. When at 10am on Friday the reports echoed through the town, all work stopped automatically and there was a general rush to the racecourse.
“The evacuation of the town was amazingly rapid and complete. Within half an hour of the signal, every shop and office and even banks and the post office were silent…The watchers were divided between admiration and apprehension as the machine began to descend in graceful spirals, its engines shut off. It lightly touched the ground, and ran over the grass daintily, then swung round until it stopped in the centre of the ground facing the grandstands”.
The Silver Queen was to crash on 06 March 1920 soon after take-off while heading south-west over the Bulawayo Golfcourse as it was carrying too much fuel and failed to gain height, said Burrett. The plane was a complete wreck although all aboard walked away with only minor injuries. A replacement plane was sent from South Africa, a DH-9 named Voortrekker. The pilots were able to resume their journey, which came to an end on 20 March 1920 when they landed in Cape Town.
In 1970 a small memorial site was erected near the crash site to commemorate the founding event of the country’s aviation history. It was positioned at the corner of Winnie’s and Fairbridge Way as near as possible to the crash site, which is just north of Matsheumhlophe River.
However, the original bronze plaque was stolen and was replaced by a plastic one behind a wire grill that makes it difficult to read.
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