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309:(VH-UTO) six passenger aircraft. Having the dual qualifications of engineer and pilot helped to establish Purvis's reputation during this period, and his services were sought by several burgeoning companies. One of these was WASP Airlines (Western and Southern Provincial) in New South Wales, that was set up by Kingsford Smith's brother Wilfred. Purvis flew the inaugural tri-weekly service from
462:, and as it was needed in Sydney for the film, it was completely overhauled and test flown in May 1945 by Wing Commander Purvis with John Kingsford Smith (Smithy's nephew) as co-pilot. The aircraft was then flown to Sydney by the same crew. This was the last flight of the famous aircraft before it was dismantled and taken by truck to Brisbane where it is on public display at
271:
Kingsford Smith "Smithy" arrived at
Griffith with his engineer Tommy Pethybridge. Purvis managed to meet them both and offered the use of his engineering services to the crew, thus beginning several years of cooperation between them. Pethybridge and Purvis had lengthy discussions about flying, which
529:
to operate scenic flights on behalf of the airline. In the early 1970s
Connellan decided to concentrate on his airline's regular routes and transferred the Ayers Rock operation to the Adelaide based company SAATAS (South Australian and Territory Air Service). By then Purvis had gained ownership of
442:
the
Japanese troops seemed unwilling to maintain order, so Purvis without authorisation from higher command decided to take positive action. He sent a message to the Japanese General demanding that the surrender would take place at 9 am the following morning. Purvis wrote that the General's aide,
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After the
Japanese had signed the surrender document ending World War II on 2 September 1945, Purvis and the transport wing were involved in repatriating Australian prisoners of war. He was in command of a RAAF Dakota in Singapore, and was required to fly to
304:
Kingsford Smith Air
Service fell on hard times so Purvis went out on his own, joining Cliff Carpenter's aerial circus consisting of eight aircraft that travelled to most towns on the eastern States. By then Purvis had sold his Avro Avian and bought a
254:
where by the age of twenty he ran his own motor vehicle and engineering business. In May 1931 an opportunity arose that set him on the career he yearned; Kingsford Smith and several other well known pilots flew into town on a barnstorming tour.
485:
In 1951 Purvis was co-pilot and engineer on a pioneering flight to South
America with Captain P. G. Taylor. The purpose was to carry out a survey flight on behalf of Qantas, and the aircraft selected was a RAAF Catalina registered VH-ASA named
490:. The flight departed Sydney on 13 March 1951 and arrived in Chile on 26 March 1951. The return flight arrived back in Sydney on 21 April 1951. The aircraft used on this record-breaking flight is on public display in the Sydney
443:
accompanied by eight other officers, arrived precisely on time, and handed over the
General's sword. Realising that none of the officers could read English, Purvis on impulse signed the document "Franklin Delano Roosevelt".
384:
At the outbreak of the World War II in
September 1939, Purvis resigned his position with KNILM and returned to Australia to make himself available for Defence. In October 1939 Purvis was inducted into the
280:, who had been Smithy's co-pilot on their record breaking flight from the USA to Australia. Purvis now had an aircraft, but did not have a licence. Kingsford Smith and Ulm had a small flying school at
288:. In 1932 Smithy formed Kingsford Smith Air Service at Mascot, and offered Purvis a job barnstorming in Australia. By January 1933 Smithy had employed Purvis as co-pilot and chief mechanic on the
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as there were reports that
Australian prisoners may be there. Purvis was concerned that the Japanese, who numbered some 10,000 troops, were still armed and could be hostile. On arrival at
196:(6 May 1909 — 16 September 1980) was an Australian pioneer aviator, engineer, airline pilot, air-force pilot and author. He was the engineer responsible for maintenance of the famed
246:, then trained as an engineer at Collingwood Technical College in Melbourne. Prior to completion of the course his father died, so Purvis returned to his home which by then was at
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952:
534:(VH-RCF) until 1975. In a career spanning fifty years, Purvis had flown 25,000 hours and was one of Australia's true pioneer aviators. He retired to
517:. Following the delivery Purvis remained in Alice Springs in order to train pilots on the new aircraft type, which included flights throughout the
421:
status in July 1944 and was awarded the Air Force Cross for his outstanding organisational and leadership abilities contributing to success in the
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Purvis was discharged from the RAAF in August 1946 and continued his flying career as Chief Pilot for the Herald newspaper, delivering the
313:
to Sydney in March 1935. In
December 1935 Purvis was flying between Brisbane and Sydney for the newly established New England Airways in a
848:
166:
796:
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284:, so Purvis received his pilot training from G. U. "Scotty" Allan who much later became a senior figure in the international airline
250:, where his mother Rose Purvis managed the hotel. With the hope of pursuing a career in aviation, Purvis moved to the larger town of
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later led to Purvis's decision to sell his business and move to Sydney. With the funds from the sale, Purvis purchased an
242:, New South Wales. His father was an engineer at the Great Cobar Copper Mine. Purvis had his first flight in 1920 with a
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In 1944 plans to make a film about the life of Kingsford Smith were being discussed by Columbia Pictures in Australia.
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aircraft. In January 1942 Purvis was posted to No. 1 Operational Training Unit, and shortly after was promoted to
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as an instructor. The next assignment was as a test pilot in the early stages of the development of the
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the "Inland Motel" and the "Ayers Rock Hotel", but was able to continue the scenic flights in a
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of a Beaufort training squadron. From February to July 1944 he was commanding officer (CO) of
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aircraft on regular domestic runs. In May 1939 Purvis was recruited by a Dutch owned airline
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881:. The Hillston Spectator and Lachlan River Advertiser (NSW : 1898 - 1952). 29 June 1939
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on the inaurgural flight of what was to become one of Australia's most successful airlines,
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777:. Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954). 18 April 1935
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Harry Purvis (left) with Charles Kingsford Smith (middle) and Smithy's brother Wilfred
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324:. This was Ansett's first aeroplane and on 17 February 1936, Ansett flew VH-UTO from
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Queensland, and died in 1980 aged 71. His funeral service was held in Brisbane.
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and was posted to No. 6 Squadron on 4 March 1940 to convert RAAF pilots to the
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near Sydney. Following this he was posted to No. 13 Squadron, then to
803:. The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947). 19 December 1935
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572:. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954)(86). 23 May 1945
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1092:. Western Herald (Bourke, NSW : 1887 - 1970). 25 October 1946
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Outback Airman: by Harry Purvis with Joan Priest (Rigby Ltd, 1979)
1015:. Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954). 11 October 1945
373:
1118:. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). 5 May 1947
1170:. The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 22 December 1971
1144:. The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 29 December 1983
829:. The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 21 February 1976
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369:
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Charles Kingsford Smith (Smithy, The World's Greatest Aviator)
855:. Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954). 30 November 1936
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Australian recipients of the Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
1041:. The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954). 28 October 1944
933:. The Sydney Morning Herald 06 November 1940. 6 November 1940
601:. The Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW: 1949 - 1953). 22 April 1951
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907:. The Telegraph : 07 September 1939. 7 September 1939
751:. Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 17 March 1938
901:"Pilot gives up high post to offer services for defence"
668:"Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups"
348:(Royal Netherlands Indies' Airways) that was based in
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Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II
1138:"Australian aviation pioneer Eddie Connellan dies"
417:. Purvis quickly rose through the ranks attaining
987:. Sydney: Rigby Publishers Limited. p. 130.
721:Charles Kingsford Smith and Those Magnificent Men
625:TNG The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding
320:In late 1935 Purvis sold his Fokker Universal to
202:aircraft. Purvis often flew as co-pilot with Sir
1213:
1064:. Sydney: Paul Hamlyn Pty Limited. p. 157.
595:"Thousands Welcome Frigate Bird II Back Home"
458:had been dismantled and placed in storage in
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234:New South Wales, and spent his early days at
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218:from Australia to South America, landing in
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723:. Sydney: Harper Collins. p. 518.
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230:Harry Purvis was born on 6 May 1909 at
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823:"Still at the controls after 40 years"
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352:(Jakarta). The airline operated DC-2,
1247:Australian World War II bomber pilots
700:. National Library of Australia. 1905
482:to country towns in New South Wales.
214:on the first flight across the lower
1112:"Herald planes for country delivery"
983:Purvis, Harry; Priest, Joan (1979).
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639:
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1237:Royal Australian Air Force officers
694:"Papers of Scotty Allan, 1905-1993"
470:was released in Australia in 1946.
206:and was the last person to fly the
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1164:"Airline can run on lower subsidy"
340:employed Purvis as captain flying
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18:For the fictional character, see
959:. National Archives of Australia
497:In 1963 Purvis was contacted by
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1:
1035:"Smithy's plane to fly again"
849:"Australian National Airways"
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225:
566:""Smithy's Bus" Flies Again"
7:
1009:"Pilot took Bali surrender"
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338:Australian National Airways
300:In the years following the
190:George Henry "Harry" Purvis
10:
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719:Fitzsimons, Peter (2009).
387:Royal Australian Air Force
296:Aerial circus and airlines
167:South West Pacific theatre
104:Royal Australian Air Force
17:
672:Noble Numismatics Pty Ltd
360:aircraft from Batavia to
248:Hillston, New South Wales
210:. Purvis was co-pilot to
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20:Tales from the White Hart
875:"Local Pilot's Progress"
797:"By New England Airways"
204:Charles Kingsford Smith
927:"Nerve-centre of RAAF"
521:and a period based in
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68:Cobar, New South Wales
505:and asked to ferry a
480:Sydney Morning Herald
403:Central Flying School
266:
110:Years of service
1190:"G-H-Purvis/1448815"
1060:Davis, Pedr (1977).
621:"Purvis family tree"
542:Purvis autobiography
415:No. 36 Squadron RAAF
238:on the banks of the
148:No. 36 Squadron
1222:Australian aviators
1196:. 16 September 1980
423:New Guinea campaign
132:No. 6 Squadron
29:George Henry Purvis
674:. 26 November 2013
519:Northern Territory
507:De Havilland Heron
326:Hamilton, Victoria
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240:Murrumbidgee River
84:Cairns, Queensland
41:Harry Purvis, RAAF
1194:billiongraves.com
771:"Visit to Mudgee"
745:"J. C. Carpenter"
503:Connellan Airways
492:Powerhouse Museum
429:Surrender of Bali
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77:16 September 1980
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1198:. Retrieved
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513:in India to
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389:(RAAF) as a
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342:Douglas DC-2
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212:P. G. Taylor
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189:
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155:Battles/wars
79:(1980-09-16)
15:
1200:19 February
1174:17 February
1148:17 February
1122:17 February
1096:17 February
1045:17 February
1019:17 February
963:17 February
937:17 February
911:17 February
885:17 February
859:17 February
833:17 February
807:17 February
781:17 February
755:16 February
704:15 February
678:15 February
631:15 February
605:16 February
576:15 February
466:. The film
450:flies again
358:Lockheed 14
278:Charles Ulm
244:barnstormer
47:Nickname(s)
1216:Categories
1071:0727101447
957:naa.gov.au
552:References
532:Cessna 205
527:Ayers Rock
336:. In 1936
322:Reg Ansett
274:Avro Avian
236:Carrathool
226:Early life
90:Allegiance
65:6 May 1909
61:1909-05-06
362:Singapore
330:Melbourne
311:Narromine
222:in 1951.
113:1940–1946
93:Australia
474:Post War
460:Canberra
440:Denpasar
407:Beaufort
315:Monospar
252:Griffith
144:Commands
98:Service/
374:Celebes
350:Batavia
1068:
991:
727:
536:Cairns
523:Darwin
468:Smithy
399:Camden
370:Saigon
366:Borneo
286:Qantas
282:Mascot
178:Awards
150:(1942)
139:(1942)
134:(1940)
100:branch
749:Trove
698:Trove
599:Trove
511:Delhi
509:from
346:KNILM
276:from
232:Cobar
220:Chile
50:Harry
1202:2021
1176:2021
1150:2021
1124:2021
1098:2021
1066:ISBN
1047:2021
1021:2021
989:ISBN
965:2021
939:2021
913:2021
887:2021
861:2021
835:2021
809:2021
783:2021
757:2021
725:ISBN
706:2021
680:2021
633:2021
607:2021
578:2021
436:Bali
356:and
354:DC-3
128:Unit
118:Rank
74:Died
55:Born
397:at
328:to
194:AFC
192:,
1218::
1192:.
1166:.
1140:.
1114:.
1088:.
1037:.
1011:.
973:^
955:.
929:.
903:.
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