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WZ706:   The First Time

23rd May 1956
Late that afternoon Sergeant K. G. McConnell, Glider Pilot Regiment left 1902 Flight IPOH for Noble Field K.L. His last radio message was 'K.L. thirty minutes', but he did not arrive.

At the same time Malaya experienced a violent storm and it was thought Sergeant McConnell had been caught in it. A search centered on Bidor was organized for first light the next day.

24th  May 1956
At first light several Austers of 1907 Flight took off from Taiping, WZ706 being one of them. Captain P. K. Myers Glider Pilot Regiment was the pilot and I was his observer.

Early afternoon whilst we were refuelling at Biddor one of the flight’s RAF technicians asked if he could accompany us on the next flight. At the time WZ706 had a third seat fitted rather than the usual long-range fuel tank.

We had been flying some time when suddenly there was a loud bang. The propeller slowly became visible and then stopped. In the silence that followed Captain Myers sent out a Mayday signal. Another aircraft in our flight, which also had visual contact with us, immediately acknowledged this.

We made a ‘leisurely’ decent towards Tin Dredgings, near the Bidor Tapah Road. I waited for the ‘flop’, but it never came.., the engine suddenly started! Captain Myers swung WZ706 starboard towards a piece of hard ground that had become visible, landing at what seemed a great speed..

The piece of land was only short with a high bank at the end. Captain Myers had to swing WZ706 round sharply to avoid the bank. We had made it to solid ground.
We had landed at Grid Reference VJ961313. There was a short walk to the nearest road where the local police met us -they had watched our decent. Some of them stayed to guard WZ706, whilst the rest took us to the police station at Biddor.

WZ706 was recovered by the RAF and returned to the flight after rebuilding. Faulty fuel injectors where found to be the cause of the engine failure. I last flew in her on the 17th February 1957.

27th  May 1956
Sergeant McConnell was presumed dead and the search called of.

14th June 1956
Sergeant McConnell arrived at Upatkramat Pulai, a village six miles south of Ipoh. His aircraft was found some months later just east of Ipoh.

I have since been told that WZ706 is now G-BURR last registered at Aldershot, de-registered in the 90’s, and thought to have been removed to Middle Wallop.  Anyone got any ideas of its final resting place??

Chalky, 1907 Flight Taping 1956-57

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updated 8th September 2010