Southern Cloud MemorialPrint Page 
The headstone erected over the grave commemorates the victims who died when the aeroplane Southern Cloud disappeared in 1931. The wreckage was not found until 1958. An additional plaque was placed at the grave by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith.
The Southern Cloud, registered VH-UMF, was one of 5 three-engine Avro 618 Ten aeroplanes flying daily airline services between several Australian cities for Australian National Airways in the early 1930s. On 21 March 1931, the Southern Cloud departed at 8:10 AM from Sydney for Melbourne. Onboard were six passengers and two crewmembers. Weather conditions en route were hazardous and much worse than predicted. The aircraft never reached its destination and disappeared.
The Southern Cloud's fate remained a mystery for 27 years until 26 October 1958. On that day, Mr. Tom Sonter, a worker on the Snowy Mountains Project, accidentally discovered the wreck. The crash site was in heavily timbered mountainous terrain within the Snowy Mountains about 25 kilometres east of the direct Sydney-Melbourne route. Investigations concluded that the severe weather conditions at the time of the flight most likely contributed to the crash.
Location
| Address: | Mittagang Road, Cooma Cemetery, Cooma, 2630 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -36.215216 Long: 149.131808 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Grave |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Aviation |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 21-March-1931 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 21-March-1931 |
Dedication
Plaque :
In memory of victims "Southern Cloud" aircraft
Lost Deep Creek 21st March 1931
Found 26th October 1958
Capt. T. W. Shortridge Pilot
C. L. Dunnell Co-Pilot
Passengers
Julian Margulies
May Glasgow
Claire Stokes
Hubert Farrall
Clyde Hood
William O`Reilly
Plaque :
"Rest in Peace `Shorty` whatever the circumstances of the disaster, I feel that they were beyond human control
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith."
