Morgan, John

John Morgan

On 3 December, 1943, storm clouds closed in quickly over Monto. Suddenly, residents became aware of the sound of an aeroplane which circled the area a number of times, obviously searching for the airfield. Then, to everyone's amazement, the pilot brought the Avro Anson down on a slope in what was then Rigby's paddock. A crowd quickly gathered. For many of the interested onlookers, it was their first opportunity to see an aircraft up close. The trainee pilot was John Morgan, now of Coolangatta. His co- pilot was Don Curnow.

Mr. Morgan remembers the day well. "We were on a training flight from Bundaberg to Monto, then to Lady Elliott Island, then back to Bundaberg," he said. "When we reached Monto. The storms closed in very quickly and the turbulence was so bad camera and navigation equipment was thrown around the aircraft. "We had to land as it would have been dangerous to cross the mountains but visibility was bad and we couldn't find the airfield. "It was fairly clear on the side of a hill, which I understood later to be Rigby's paddock, so I landed uphill to keep our landing run as short as possible." Among the people who came out of town to view the plane were Bill Stevens and Curly Ryland.

It was the first time Mr. Stevens and Mr. Morgan met, and they were not to know in future years they would get to know each other quite well, doing business together on a regular basis.

Another man who viewed the downed plane was Mr. Don Jensen, Mandurah, WA. At the time, he lived in Stuart Street, Monto.

"I was very keen on aircraft and used to get up on the roof to watch them as they flew by," Mr. Jensen said. "I remember the event very well. There were lots of storm clouds around that day and the aircraft appeared to be lost. After circling for a few times it finally came down on the farm on the uphill side of the Mulgildie Road. "The pilot did a good job and the aircraft sustained no damage. "I ran across paddocks and arrived there a little later but did not see any of the crew."

Mr. Morgan said a member of the Home Guard stayed with the aircraft overnight, and he, himself, slept inside it. Copilot Curnow enjoyed a comfortable night at a hotel in town. "As the Anson was not damaged, an instructor came over next day, and flew it back to Bundaberg," Mr. Morgan said.

"We did our training flight two days later in perfect weather."

Mr. Morgan got his wings just before Christmas, 1943, and left for England on 16 January, 1944, on the 'Niew Amsterdam', a Dutch liner, at the time the fifth largest in the world.

After some weeks in a holding camp at Brighton, Sussex, he was posted to various airfields.

One of his exploits was to run a Wellington Bomber into a ditch one night on take-off.

Mr. Morgan returned to Australia in early 1946 after he broke his leg when the motor cycle he was riding was involved in a collision with an American truck.

Working in the hardware business in Bundaberg, Mr. Morgan found himself renewing acquaintances with Bill Stevens, of Ryland and Co, Monto. He often travelled back to the town he first visited by accident, when the weather closed in on him.

Now living at Coolangatta, Mr. Morgan would dearly love to find his old mate, and co-pilot in the adventure Don Curnow. "I have forgotten where his home town was. I would be grateful for any information." he said.

By Betsy Chape