The atmospheric photo above shows Cobham, in the cockpit, and probably Elliott, on the float, preparing to start on the Tigris River at Baghdad on 6 July 1926. Cobham was always concerned about the seamanship of the skippers of the many boats that crowded around wherever they alighted as the DH50 was quite delicate by comparison. Sadly, Elliott was to die the following day from an Iraqi tribesman's lucky bullet as they flew low over the southern marshes in a sandstorm.

On arrival in Australia the DH50's floats were replaced by wheels by the crew of HMS Geranium on Darwin's Mindil Beach, where the photo below was taken on 5 August 1926. Cobham was also touched that the Controller of Civil Aviation, Col. Horace Brinsmead was in Darwin to greet him personally, later writing "Everything worked according to plan because all arrangements had been so perfectly organised for us by Colonel Brinsmead, who had travelled by air all the way from Melbourne to Darwin to meet us. I shall always consider this a very great compliment, for the Australian Government had sent their Director of Civil Aviation [sic] nearly two thousand miles to meet us - which is the equivalent of the British Government sending Sir Sefton Brancker to some point five hundred miles beyond Constantinople to meet an air voyager on the way to England!" Brinsmead was accompanied by Inspector Howard of the CAB.

(Photos: Top - Herbert Mercer via Frank Long; Bottom - CAHS Collection)

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