Charles James (Jimmy) Melrose (13 September 1913 – 5 July 1936) was an Australian aviator who held a number of flying records, was the youngest and only solo flier to finish the Melbourne (Macrobertson) 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.[1]
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.
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He died in July 1936, at the age of 22, when his new high-wing monoplane, a Heston Phoenix, broke up in turbulence over South Melton, Victoria on a charter flight from Darwin to Melbourne. His unfortunate passenger was Lt Col Alexander George Campbell, DSO and mining manager. Two days later, over one hundred thousand people lined the streets of Melbourne to pay their last respects to this fine young flier. [2]
Melrose Park in New South Wales and Melrose Park in South Australia are both suburbs name after him, as well as James Melrose Road, which travels along the southern boundary of Adelaide Airport. The town of Mildenhall, Suffolk, UK, where the 1934 Air Race originated, has also named a street after him - Charles Melrose Close.
The Jimmy Melrose Story, Australia's Youngest Air Ace. Eric Gunton 1990. Boy Phoenix, C James Melrose. Helen Blake 2008.