.ltMISS EARHART'S ARRIVAL

The Times
23 May 1932

Miss Earhart made an almost perfect landing in a field in the beautiful district of Springfield, two miles from Londonderry, and within the border of Northern Ireland. A slim athletic figure, she seemed barely fatigued after her achievement; and although she had had no sleep since 5 o'clock on Friday morning, it was 11 o'clock on Saturday night before she got to bed.

Her first concern on alighting was to notify her husband, Mr Putnam, in New York, of her success and safety. She cabled to him from Londonderry, and later had a long talk with him over the Transatlantic telephone.

Miss Earhart landed in a field on the farm of Mr Robert Gallagher, and taxied up to a farm cottage, from which emerged a couple of surprised dairymaids and a farm hand. One of the girls got her a drink of water, and Mr Gallagher, who arrived almost immediately afterwards, promptly extended to her the fullest hospitality of his home. Mrs Gallagher quickly made some tea, two cups of which Miss Earhart drank. I had a conversation with her later as she stood beside her scarlet aeroplane. "My flight is finished," she said, "and my ambition is realised. I have crossed the Atlantic alone, and that is what I set out to do. I did it really for fun, not to set up any records or anything like that. I had already crossed the Atlantic as a passenger, but I wanted to make a solo flight across it, and, having accomplished that, I am now satisfied." Referring to her return, she said she had no intention of attempting the east-to-west flight.

After describing her experiences with the Atlantic, her arrival in Donegal, and how she followed the railway track which eventually brought her to Londonderry, she continued:- " I had not the faintest notion where I was. I circled around your city awhile in the hope of locating an aerodrome but finding none I decided to make for the pastures and land on the nearest suitable field."

Miss Earhart said she had been overwhelmed with kindness since she landed on Irish soil. As a matter of fact, she had only $20 of American money, which her husband gave her before starting and she had no cheque-book with her, but she had found herself amid friends and every one had tried to facilitate her as much as possible. Mr Gallagher had placed his home and car at her disposal, and the postmaster had ensured her every telephonic and telegraphic facility.

Mr Gallagher motored Miss Earhart to an hotel in Londonderry. A crowd gathered and she was inundated with congratulatory messages from America and the United Kingdom. President Hoover telegraphed: "I voice pride of nation in congratulating you most heartily upon achieving splendid pioneer solo flight for a woman across Atlantic Ocean. You have demonstrated not only your own dauntless courage, but also capability of women to match the skill of men in carrying through most difficult feats of high adventure." Another much appreciated telegram was one from Mr J. B. Ely, the Governor of Massachusetts, stating "Massachusetts is proud of you."
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