People that achieve great things j through courage and tenacity often also possess flawed characters. This can certainly be said of 'forgotten aviator' Oscar Garden, who flew solo from London to Australia in 1930, with just 39 hours in his logbook (see March FlyPast). The amazing feat brought instant recognition, but as explained by his daughter Mary Garden in this biography, Oscar's newfound fame did not sit well with him. After the demanding 12,000-mile journey was completed, he struggled to find his place in the world and relied on providing passenger trips and 'barnstorming to earn a living in New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East. The demand for these pursuits dwindled and eventually only provided a meagre existence, which prompted Oscar to return to the UK and fly for several airlines. He eventually became an Empire flying boat pilot (and captain), ending up with Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL), which maintained the pioneering route between Australia and New Zealand. He became a highly skilled aviator, but when Oscar was overlooked for promotion to general manager of TEAL, he quit the company and never flew again. Oscar then became a commercial tomato grower, but remained restless throughout and struggled with what Mary thinks was depression, ending up a bitter and obsessive man right up until his death in 1997. A searingly honest and well-written narrative, packed with fascinating and surprising detail.
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