The Uiver story is undeniably one of the most significant events in Albury’s local history, and an important footnote in the history of global aviation. The story of 2CO Radio, Albury’s remarkable people and the Uiver’s crew are one of the few occasions where the legend is less amazing than the facts.

In the 1934 MacRobertson Trophy Air Race, on the final leg from Charleville to Melbourne, the KLM DC-2 Uiver (meaning ‘stork’ in Dutch), flew into an electrical storm and became lost, as the lightning was interfering with navigation equipment and radio communications.

Artists impression of the KLM DC-2 Uiver lost in the thunderstorm near Albury, 23 October 1934.

Captain Parmentier turned east for the coast hoping to cross the Great Dividing Range, but with ice forming on the wings and propellors, was forced to turn back. He turned south again and was heard going over Goulburn, Wagga Wagga, Henty, and Albury. Race headquarters managed some brief contact with the Uiver and told them to fly to Cootamundra where an emergency landing field was being set up. The interference caused by lightning made it impossible for the Uiver’s radio signal to be heard in Melbourne.

Parmentier and Mol were not keen to fly back the way they had come and were concerned their dwindling fuel supply would be insufficient even if they could navigate their way there.

Late in the night residents of farms at Tawonga heard the plane flying south towards Mount Bogong and contacted local ABC radio station 2CO, who contacted race headquarters in Melbourne. Fortunately the Uiver changed course in a wide arc to the north-east before turning back towards Albury.

Race headquarters in Melbourne asked Albury newspaper sub-editor, Clifton Mott, to flash a light in Morse code. Mott met with Municipal Electrical Engineer, Lyle Ferris and they bumped into District Postal Inspector, Reg Turner, who knew Morse code. All three went to the Albury electrical sub-station where Turner signalled A-L-B-U-R-Y in Morse code by turning the town’s street lights on and off.

Arthur Newnham, the 2CO Radio announcer, called for cars to go to the Albury Racecourse to light a makeshift runway using their headlights to guide the plane to land, as there was no aerodrome at Albury. About 80 cars arrived. Remarkably, Newnham's broadcast went out at 12:54 am, and after circling the racecourse twice and dropping parachute flares, the Uiver was safely on the ground by 1:17 am!

The Uiver had successfully landed, but ended up bogged in the saturated ground.

Uiver at Albury Racecourse, AlburyCity Collection (ARM 10.387)

Pulling the at the Albury Racecourse, AlburyCity Collection (ARM 11.182)

The stalwart crew were determined to finish the race, for the good name of KLM and the Netherlands, so about 300 Albury residents gathered from daybreak to help pull the aircraft out of the mud and send them on their way.

The activity involved hundreds of men pulling the plane using long ropes, eventually freeing the Uiver from the mud. So that it had a chance of taking off, the DC-2 was stripped of the cabin seats, all luggage, and the contents of the galley. Two crew, van Brugge and Prins as well as the three passengers had to be left behind.

After one false start the Uiver was able to make it into the air (see Doug Royal's review) and continue to Melbourne where it finished second outright on speed. Parmentier had a choice of prizes – speed or handicap – so they chose first prize in the handicap section, winning £2,000.

KLM Uiver pilots, First Officer Jan Moll (L) and Captain Koene Parmentier (R) at Laverton (Melbourne) at the end of the race.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, a Dutch delegation brought numerous gifts for key people involved in the rescue, and the Dutch people donated significant funds to the Albury District Hospital.

Key Albury citizens involved in the Uiver rescue with gifts from the Netherlands. Standing L>R, Arthur Telford, Lyle Ferris, Bob Matthews, Reginald Turner, Arthur Newnham, Clifton Mott, Robert Jillard and Bertie Peacock. Sitting: Mayor Alf Waugh and Beatrice Peacock.

For more information please contact us at info@uivermemorial.org.au