 On 31 August 1937 , three Hawker Demon aircraft of No. 1 Squadron were on a training flight , during which they landed at an air base in Hamilton , Victoria . The exercise coincided with the local agricultural show , and the planes briefly provided a stationary display for the public . <unk> their journey , the first aircraft had already taken off when the second was seen to have difficulties . The pilot , Pilot Officer Kenneth McKenzie , had attempted a climbing turn when the aircraft 's engine stalled , sending the machine into a dive . McAloney — who was a passenger in the third aircraft — witnessed the incident and signalled for his pilot to stop . On doing this , McAloney immediately leapt out of his plane and ran across the airfield . Out of control , the second aircraft struck the ground and rapidly became engulfed in flames . The first on scene , McAloney dashed into the wreckage in an effort to extradite the two crew members , and was able to grab hold of McKenzie who was sprawled over the flaming main fuel tank . McAloney pulled McKenzie free of the cockpit and down on to the aircraft 's wing , though McKenzie 's leg became trapped in the wreckage . Despite this , McAloney continued his efforts to free McKenzie , burning his hands on the pilot 's smouldering clothes . At this point , one of the wing tanks burst , rendering McAloney unconscious . He was pulled from the aircraft suffering severe burns , and spent the next four weeks in hospital undergoing treatment . Both McKenzie and his observer @-@ gunner , Sergeant Norman Torrens @-@ Witherow , perished and it was later ascertained that , owing to the injuries sustained on impact , they would not have survived even if the rescue attempt had been successful . 
