Clarenville Weather
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On July 26, 1933, the largest armada of aircraft to make a transatlantic flight landed in Random Sound, putting Shoal Harbour in the international spotlight. Shoal Harbour and Clarenville was choosen due to its sheletered port and the suitability of local weather.
General Italo Balbo and his fleet of twenty-four seaplanes landed at Shoal Harbour to complete the last leg of their spectacular flight from |
Orbetello, Italy to the Chicago Century of Progress Exhibition. |
Special trains from St. John's and Grand Falls brought in spectators. At around 4 p.m in the evening on July 26, 1933 21 planes arrived (three planes were delayed and arrived later) in tight formation of seven rows of three. The landing of the planes was witnessed by a large crowd and Balbo and his crew received a hearty Newfoundland welcome. General Balbo was taken to a reception at the Government wharf to be greeted by J.C. Puddister, Commissioner of Natural Resources, representing the Government of Newfoundland. |
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Balbo and his gang had intended to stay here just to refuel, but due to the bad weather they stayed fourteen days. At dawn on the morning of August 9, Balbo and his armada took off with with the same demonstration of formation flying as when the arrived two weeks |
earlier. They arrived home to a hero's welcome shortly afterwards.
Balbo Drive and Balbo Elementary School were name in honour of this occasion. |
Who Was Balbo?
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Pioneering aviator, blackshirt leader, colonial governor, confidante and heir-apparent to Benito Mussonlini, the dashing and charismatic Italo Balbo exemplified the ideals of Fascist Italy during the 1920s and 30s. Balbo served with the Alpine troops during WW1. As Minister of Aviation from 1926 to 1933, he led two internationally heralded mass transatlantic flights. As colonial governor from 1933 to 1940, Balbo transformed Libya from backward |
| colony to model Italian province. As a sad twist of fate, Balbo was killed on June 28, 1940 when his plane was shot down by Italian guns in Tobruk Harbour, Libya. It was claimed his plane failed to give correct recognition signals. |
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