Page 564 - Reading Mercury

Hospital, Reading, with severe injuries. Later in the evening, his right leg had to be
amputated. His condition at the time of going to Press was stated to be critical.
An eye-witness of the occurrence, Captain R.L. Bateman, who is chief instructor at
the aerodrome, told a “Mercury” reporter: “I was in the club house when I heard the
machine flying overhead. I looked out and saw that the pilot was about 200 feet above
the ground. At the time his machine was going into a slow roll, and I was rather
surprised at such a thing with the machine at that height. I do not think that the pilot
realised he was so low. At any rate, as he came off his back he lost height and speed
and ‘pancaked’ to the ground. The engine came away from the machine, whilst the
machine itself rolled over for some distance. The pilot was extricated within a couple
of minutes of his machine touching the ground.
Captain Bateman added: “We did not know the pilot at Woodley and we have no
idea why he came here.”
A KEEN SPORTSMAN
Pilot Officer Bader is a well-known sportsman. Although only 21 years of age he is
considered one of the finest acrobatic flyers in the R.A.F. and he took a prominent
part in the aerobatics event at Hendon Air Pageant last June. He is a fine rugby
football player having played for the R.A.F. and the Harlequins, as well as the Surrey
XV and the Combined Services XV. He figured at stand-off half-back for the last-
named against the Springboks. He has also played cricket for the R.A.F. and has taken
part in cross-country races and boxing competitions.

1932

th
Sat 16 Jan
HOSPITAL AID FILM
The Town Hall was filled to overflowing on Friday last week, when the film,
“Never Again,” was shown by Captain Flear, local organising secretary, Royal
Berkshire Hospital contributor scheme. Mr. A. Prouten presided. The film introduced
a love story and the scenes and incidents were “shot” locally. The idea was
educational and illustrative of the benefits of the scheme. Mrs. B. Hurle, the local hon.
secretary to the scheme, made efficient arrangements, and Messrs. Perkins Bros. Lent
their fine radio-gramophone. Captain Flear and the chairman were thanked for their
services.
A collection made to defray expenses, yielded a satisfactory sum.

THE TOWN BAND
th
The annual meeting of the Wokingham Town Band was held on January 7 , the
Mayor (Alderman A.E. Priest, J.P.), who is president of the band, being in the chair.
The Mayor expressed pleasure at meeting the band again and seeing a good number
present. He had noted that the various concerts, etc., arranged by the band were very
sparsely attended by the general public. This showed the necessity for members of the
band to be more energetic in the selling of tickets.
The hon. secretary read the statement of accounts for the past year which showed a
decrease in income from all sources except the Whit-Monday fete, which revealed an
increase of £5 1s. 0½d., the net decrease on the previous year being £9 4s. 9½d. the
total income was £76 8s. 0½d., as compared with £85 12s. 10d. the previous year. In
1927, the year before Mr. Every took over the duties of hon. secretary, the income

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