Charles James Melrose

Who was Charles James Melrose?

Charles James Melrose was an Australian aviator who held a number of flying records, was the youngest and only solo flier to finish the Melbourne Centenary Air Race in 1934. He flew a DH80A Puss Moth named 'My Hildergarde' to England just after his 21st birthday in order to compete in the race, reaching Croydon in just over 8 days. That in itself was an unofficial record and astounded everyone. Then in November 1935 he was again returning to Australia in a Percival Gull Four when he helped in the unsuccessful search for Sir Charles Kingsford Smith around the Bay of Bengal. Melrose had been the last person to sight Kingsford Smith's Lockheed Altair in the night air as it flew above him.

On his return from the Air Race Melrose was considering giving up racing and turning his mind to commencing an air taxi service the likes of which were virtually non-existent in the mid-1930s.