Hall was an instructor with the Australian National Airways in NSW, having previously worked with the Hart Aviation in Victoria.

Accompanied by companions, Chapman and Dean, he landed during the Saturday afternoon on McGrath's farm, on the town side of the swamp, and offered to take locals on flights - for a fee.

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Given his experience at racing cars, motorbikes and boats, it was no surprise when local businessman Hope Bartlett took up the offer. He was taken on an extended flight that went as far as Currarong.

Not everyone was pleased with the arrival of the noisy visitor, for one Nowra clergyman contacted police sergeant John Duff, asking him to ensure there were no flights during the hours of church services. Captain Hall overcame that problem by heading east, instead of flying over the town.

One of Duff's colleagues, Constable Williams was enthused at such an opportunity, and he joined local identities Ulric Walsh, Ted Ratcliff and Charles Thurgate on a Sunday morning flight. They thoroughly enjoyed it, and all went well until the landing when the aircraft struck a small log that had been removed from long grass to the edge of the swamp.

Carried along for some distance, the log eventually tipped the plane with one witness describing it as "a graceful overturn".

Even though it took some time for the passengers to get out of the damaged Albatross, The Nowra Leader described their experience as thrilling.

The only injury was a slight bump on the head suffered by Ratcliff, and although unnerved was still keen to fly again.

Having been awarded the Military Cross for action in World War I, Walsh appears to have taken the mishap in his stride.

Among the locals quickly on the scene was one pretending to be from the press, who asked whether he had anything to say about it.

Quick as a flash, Walsh replied, "Yes, get me a packet of Minties, please".

The propeller was smashed and the undercarriage damaged, ending the joy flights at Nowra over that weekend.

However, Captain Hall promised that when repairs were completed he would be back.

Wishing to reassure Nowra residents, he said that he had 5000 flying hours to his credit, and this had been his first mishap.

He chose to ignore an incident two months earlier at Delungra near Inverell, when he had sustained facial injuries with all teeth in his top jaw being knocked out.

After landing in a lucerne field to repair a leaking petrol tank, in taking off again the plane crashed into a dead tree and fell 20 feet to the ground.

However there was no doubting Hall's credentials, for he and another notable pilot, Charles Ulm were photographed in 1931, preparing to take off in search of the Southern Cloud which had disappeared without trace.

In November 1933, flying a Percival Gull aircraft, he was one of three pilots who carried out a barnstorming tour of towns in NSW's Riverina district, and Northern Victoria.

The others were Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith in his famous Southern Cross, and Tom Pethybridge in a D.H.50.

Later in the thirties his flying skills were used in geological surveys as far away as the Northern Territory.

Information provide from Shoalhaven Historical Society