Wondrous Serpentine Air Race lifts mood in post war Victoria

But it wasn't all smooth flying for the former World War I fighter pilots who emerged from the horrors of battle and prisoner of war camps to take part in what became recognised as Australia's first official air race

Taking off from a paddock at Serpentine on a cold wintry day in 1920, the AVRO504K biplanes would steer a course southward, skirting west of Kangaroo Flat, over Kyneton, Gisborne and Sunbury before heading to the finish line above the Melbourne Town Hall.

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It was all designed to promote a loan scheme for servicemen returning from World War I. Approval had been granted under the scheme to purchase or construct 11,373 war service homes around Australia valued at 6.7 million pounds with another 11 million pounds to be spent on farming land settlement.

The Australian Commonwealth Government was seeking 25 million pounds through a bond subscription for the Second Peace Loan.

The campaign was launched on August 6, 1920 and each state was given a target. Victoria was expected to contribute a staggering 8.2 million pounds by September 6.

As part of a promotional campaign, a 'trophy train' stopped off at towns around Victoria, showing equipment used by soldiers on the battlefield in Europe and war trophies collected by opposing forces.

Bank officials and ex-servicemen were either on board or followed in a car to promote the peace loan and sign up new subscribers.

With only one month to raise the necessary funds, officials were looking for novel ways to create awareness of the loan scheme and capture the public's imagination.

Enter Captain Albert Thomas Rose, a member of of the British Royal Army Medical Corp who emigrated to Australia in June 1920.

Within a few months of his arrival, he was appointed to the committee to promote the Second Peace Loan in Victoria. Specifically, to make use of WWI pilots and delivery of the latest AVRO504K biplanes to the Central Flying School.

The Commonwealth of Australia had recently received the biplanes as a gift from the British government. The planes were unboxed and assembled at Point Cook.

Hitting on a flamboyant idea, Captain Rose wrote a letter to the Victorian Central Loan Committee proposing to land an aeroplane in Collins Street, Melbourne between Swanston and Elizabeth streets, "provided that such roadway be made available and clear of traffic during a certain time".

Rose was willing to be in the plane under the control of pilot Captain Robert William McKenzie, however defence authorities - while initially commending the publicity stunt - eventually shut down the plan, saying it was 'inadvisable to create a precedent'.

Nevertheless, the seed of an idea was planted. McKenzie, along with fellow aviators Charles Matheson, Ernest Mustard and William Treloar, were already flying planes around Victoria with their mechanic or guest speaker on board as part of the promotional tour for the loan scheme.

They visited as many towns as possible, which created enormous excitement in itself to many outlying communities where locals had never even seen a plane land in their district before.

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It was while on tour the idea of an air race back to Melbourne would be a great promotional tool and Serpentine was targeted as an appropriate place to start such a race.

The winter of 1920 in Victoria was wet and cold with localised flooding. On announcing the race plan, Serpentine residents rallied to remove a tree or two to make sure a suitable site was prepared for the aviators.

The race took place on Friday, August 27, 1920. In the days leading up to it, the participating planes started to make their to Serpentine.

Several pilots got lost trying to find the temporary airstrip set up in Coutts paddock, on the southern edge of the Serpentine township, which was covered in water from recent heavy rain.

While trying to pinpoint the location, one pilot had the wind blow his map out of the plane, forcing him to buzz the main street of Serpentine in an effort to attract the attention of locals and have them point him in the right direction. Hurriedly, stooks of hay were lit to create smoke to signal the wind direction.

Captain McKenzie flew in on the Thursday and, after having performed some "fantastic aerial manoeuvres" on landing, took to the skies again with a display of aerobatics to the amazement and excitement of spectators.

Prior to the race, the pilots and crew were guests of honour on Thursday evening for dinner at the Serpentine Hotel, hosted by the Shire of East Loddon president Sydney McCrea.

The Inglewood Advertiser newspaper reported of "a repast of the highest order being provided by Mr and Mrs O'Neill in a room tastefully decorated".

The guests were invited to address the community at a public forum followed by a dance at the East Loddon Shire Hall.

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It was not recorded what time the dance finished but most other dances and balls in the district were known to finish when the first rays of morning light appeared on the horizon to enable everyone to travel home with some light.

Local farmers A. Bissett and J. Clift camped out at the temporary airstrip overnight, enduring the damp and cold winter conditions to ensure the safety and security of the four aeroplanes.

The next day, about 500 or more spectators gathered at the airstrip to see the start of the race.

Four biplanes would compete, piloted by Treloar, McKenzie, Matheson and Mustard.

The Inglewood Advertiser reported on "silver jingled in pockets" with small bets being laid.

The race was originally set for 10.30am but to add to the tension, the truck bringing the fuel supply bogged en route. A horse and cart was sent to retrieve the fuel.

This delayed the start of the race to 12.15pm and amended the planes' arrival time in Melbourne to 1.30pm.

Instead of each plane taking off at two-minute intervals, Captain Rose instructed all four to take off together.

The aerial derby course was set with observation spotters at pre-determined places to note the planes flying over.

The pilots were to identify their planes as they flew over these places by firing the 'Very' light, a coloured flare from a flare gun - McKenzie with three white lights, Mustard three green lights, Matheson three red lights and Treloar to release three smoke bombs instead.

The arrival of the planes in Melbourne was to coincide with the official opening of Diggerville, a temporary marquee village in Swanston Street of trade displays showing the skills that war veterans had learnt and were using in Australia's developing new industries.

In Melbourne, the planes were to fly around the spire of Christ Church in St Kilda and on to the Melbourne GPO to cross the finish line.

However, the official judge, Senator Edward Millen, had to be at the Melbourne Town Hall at 1.30pm to open Diggerville. The air race finish line was hastily moved to the town hall.

Sen Millen raced across Swanston Street to the roof of the Melbourne Tourist Bureau to obtain a clear view of the aeroplanes as they crossed over the finish line.

Then he had to quickly cross Swanston St to the Melbourne Town Hall to proceed with the official opening of Diggerville.

Treloar was declared the winner of the race, flying the 118 miles (190 kilometres) from Serpentine to the Melbourne Town Hall in one hour and 15 minutes. McKenzie was 17 seconds later with Matheson third and Mustard fourth.

The planes only carried enough fuel for the trip. After flying over the finish line, they had a short time to land at Port Melbourne before completely running out.

On their way, the pilots dropped sealed airmail bags in Collins Street containing letters from Serpentine, including letters from Cr McCrea to the federal treasurer Joseph Cook, Minister of Repatriation Sen Millen and Melbourne Lord Mayor Cr Aikman. The words of greeting were:

"On the occasion of the first aerial derby held this day trust that the Peace Loan drive will be an enormous success. This district is determined to subscribe its quota of the loan and trust that every other shire in Australia will have a similar experience.'

Paper promotional flyers promoting the Second Peace Loan were dropped by all four planes over the watching crowds before heading off to land safely.

For the winner Treloar, it was a massive achievement. He had begun his working as a motor mechanic in Ballarat in 1914. It was there he witnessed Australian aviation pioneer Harry Hawker land a British built aeroplane at Miner's Rest racecourse.

It inspired him to board a steamship to England to undertake flying instructions at the Bristol Aero Club.

Shortly after Treloar's return to Australia later that year, the Commonwealth of Australia was approached by India for air support to protect the pipeline and oil fields in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) from the invading Turkish army.

It was an interesting request considering Australia had no official airforce at the time.

Treloar joined the hastily formed Half Squadron and sailed to India before arriving in Egypt where three British aeroplanes were waiting for the aircrew.

In September 1915, during a reconnaissance flight over enemy lines, Treloar's plane experienced engine trouble and was forced to land. He and his Indian army crewmate were captured. The incident gave Treloar the distinction of being recorded as Australia's first airman prisoner of war.

Treloar had spent three years in POW camps in Turkey. At the end of the war, he was repatriated to Australia and started joy rides and passenger flights through the Riverina region.

Treloar relocated to Bendigo in 1925 as a Shell Oil Company aviation officer with the aim of setting up an aviation base in the district. He was instrumental in establishing an aero club and a suitable site for an airstrip at Myers Flat.

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The centenary celebration of the Serpentine Air Race was originally planned for 2020, but like so many other event that year was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the time has arrived. This Sunday, March 20, a massive airshow featuring vintage aircraft and an aerobatic display from the RAAF Roulettes will be held at a temporary airfield created in a paddock south of Serpentine - similar to how it unfolded in 1920.

The airfield, located six kilometres south of Serpentine on the Loddon Valley Highway, will be filled with up to 4000 spectators to celebrate the achievements of those magnificent men in their flying machines 102 years ago.

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