Hood descendant to visit Masterton

A great-niece of ill-fated aviator Captain George Hood ? after whom Masterton's Hood aerodrome is named ? is to come to New Zealand to meet her New Zealand relatives for the first time.
Elizabeth Barralet is leaving England on February 3 to meet Sue Braggins and Jocelyn Kinnell in Masterton. The three women are all great nieces of Hood.
The aviator disappeared along with John Moncrieff when they attempted to be the first airmen to fly the Tasman Sea from Sydney to Wellington on January 10, 1928.
Neither their bodies, or their single-engine monoplane were ever found.
Hood and Moncrieff's wives were among the 10,000?strong crowd who waited excitedly and eventually tragically at the Trentham racecourse for the first sight of the plane.
Hood's English-born wife returned to London after his disappearance and was cared for until her death by Mrs Barralet's mother.
Elizabeth Barralet says she has very fond memories of Mrs Hood and would like to visit the Masterton aerodrome named in his memory.
In August 2003, the Masterton great-nieces got together and restored the Hood family plot, which commemorates the pioneer aviator.
Captain Hood was born near Masterton in 1891, the son of early settlers Francis and Jane Hood. He was fascinated by flying from boyhood and world war one saw him in action initially with the Wellington Mounted Rifles in Europe, and then in the Royal Flying Corps. He lost a leg in action but it did not stop his enthusiasm for flying when returning to New Zealand.
He teamed up with 29?year?old Moncrieff, who had also had Air Force experience and the pair planned the tricky flight across the Tasman.
The New Zealand government of the time did not block the flight but Australian authorities were against it saying the aircraft was too small. Despite this official hesitation a private fund was established to buy the aircraft and fund expenses.
"This is not a stunt flight," the men said before leaving Sydney.
"It is an attempt to arouse interest in flying in New Zealand". One of their principal motives they said was to cross the Tasman Sea by air first, "by New Zealanders, for New Zealand".
Hood aerodrome was officially named and opened at the 1931 North Island Air Pageant hosted at the aerodrome. Hood's parents attended and were told in opening addresses that their 37-year-old son did not die in vain "his name would be a future inspiration to future generation of flyers".