Air Cadets of the jet age chat with pioneer airman Mr. Delfosse Badgery at Elwick showground on Saturday. They are (from left to right) Chris Phillips, Terry Harris, Denis Carmichael, and Tony Gadd. Mr. Badgery told the youngsters of the historic flights made over Hobart 50 years ago. He recalled that on one of the flights he climbed to 8,000ft. – becoming the first person ever to see the whole of Mt. Wellington from above.
Photos taken at the Elwick Showground of the first powered flight in Tasmania by pioneer airman Delfosse Badgery, which were published in the Mercury in September 1914.
Since my story on the centenary of powered flight in Tasmania was published last June ( TT Here ), the Elwick Showground has shown interest in commemorating the event, which happened there in September 1914.
The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery may also be mounting an exhibition.
I recently discovered a few more photos in my collection and an article about the visit of Mr Badgery to Tasmania in September 1964, to help celebrate 50 years of air flight on the island.
I wonder if the Air Cadets in the photo with Mr Badgery are still about and what they would have to say of the coming centenary of the event.
On 19 May 2006 John Badgery wrote in the Tasmanian Times:
Hi Kim
Thanks for the article regarding my grandfather.
I was aware of the history, so when I visited Hobart for the first time in November 2004 I tried to find the plaque that I understood was at the showgrouds commemorating the flight.
Unfortunately, I could not locate it and the staff at the grounds knew nothing about it.
I hope to return to Tasmania in late November this year and I will try again. Are you aware of the plaque and know of its location?
Cheers,
John
( TT here )
The answer to this riddle would appear to be in the Mercury article below and it’s not at the Elwick showground.
If there definitely is no memorial plaque at Elwick, there may well be after September next year.
Mercury, Monday, 14/9/1964
TASMANIA on Saturday honoured Delfosse Badgery, the pioneer airman, who made the first aeroplane flight in the State 50 years ago.
M. Badgery (75) and his wife arrived from Sydney in a super-modern airliner.
They were welcomed by Air Vice-Marshal R. Mills R.A.F. (ret.). Flight Lieut. V. S. Smith, representing the R.A.A.F., the State president and Hobart president of the Air Force Association, Messrs.’. J. C. Arthur and C. McLennan; the Minister for Tourists (Mr. Atkins); the Minister for Transport and Police (Mr. McLoughlin), and others.
The first point of call for Mr. Badgery was Elwick showground where on Saturday, September 12, 1914, he gave an exhibition of flying.
Looking at the still familiar scene, Mr Badgery recalled this historic flight over Hobart.
“The weather was windy and gusty and very unfavourable for flying but I realised I would have to fly,” he said.
A crowd of 2,000 attended, including the Governor (Sir Ellison Macartney) and many prominent citizens.
“The Hobart City Band was there and when I took my seat in the cockpit it played ‘See the Conquering Hero Comes.’
“Between showers of rain, I took off and circled around in a climbing spiral, but I did not have the power to climb higher than 1,500ft.
“I made three flights, on each occasion meeting with extreme turbulence in the air. I was buffeted and thrown about, and mighty glad to reach the ground each time safely, but the spectators only thought that I was giving an exhibition of trick flying!”
Went to 8,000ft.
Mr. Badgery said the gate-takings at Elwick were not sufficient to cover expenses. He could not give further exhibitions for profit as the football finals were on the following Saturday, and a Red Cross Carnival on the Saturday after that. He therefore made some free exhibition flights over Hobart.
“On one of those flights I climbed to 8,000ft. and became the first person ever to see the whole of Mt. Wellington from above,” said Mr. Badgery.
“On this occasion I headed into a 50-knot breeze. The speed of my small machine was only 50 m.p.h., and I remained at a standstill over the city for several minutes until I descended to a lower altitude and was able to made headway slowly to return and land at the showground.”
From Elwick, Mr. Badgery went to the Hobart headquarters of the Air Force Association on Saturday to attend the unveiling of a plaque which commemorates his historic flight.
Mr. Atkins, who performed the ceremony, said it was fitting that it should take place on the first Tasmania Day.
The following text is inscribed on the plaque: “To mark the 50th anniversary of the first aeroplane flight in Tasmania by Delfosse Badgery, 12 September, 1914.”
Mr. Badgery was born in 1888 near Sutton Forest, 90 miles south of Sydney.
In 1913 he went to England where he took a course in flying at Hendon, near London. He returned to Australia in March 1914, with plans for a Caudron biplane, which he later built at Sutton Forest.
During the First World War, Mr Badgery served in No. 1 Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps in the Middle East and in England.
After the war he resumed his career as a clerk of the New South Wales Parliament until he retired in 1952.
After the pioneering events in Hobart, Delfosse Badgery took his biplane north to Launceston for further exhibition flights at the Elphin showground.
Delfosse Badgery died a few months after his second visit to Hobart and was remembered with an obituary in at least one newspaper ~
THE AUSTRALIA FRIDAY FEBRUARY 26 1965
Australia’s first man in the air dies, 77
Mr Andrew Delfosse Badgery, the first man to make a successful flight in Australia, in an Australian-made plane, died in Sydney last night.
Mr Badgery, who was 77, was a member of the famous Badgery family of pastoralists.
He was Usher of the Black Rod in the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1939 until 1952.
In 1914 he flew his home-made bi-plane from Sutton Forest, near Moss Vale, in southern NSW, to Goulburn.
The flight of less than 50 miles was the first to be successful in Australia.
The same year he shipped the plane to Tasmania and became the first man to fly there.
Last year, Mr Badgery went to Tasmania as a guest of the Government for the 50th anniversary of the flight.
After the pioneering events in Hobart, Delfosse Badgery took his biplane north to Launceston for further exhibition flights at the Elphin showground
