29 January 1914

The Bleriot XI Britannia, flown by Defence Department pilot Lieutenant Joe Hammond, was the star attraction on Auckland Anniversary Day, 29 January 1914. On the spur of the moment, Hammond invited a visiting actress, Miss Esme McLellan, to join him as his passenger. This caused consternation among the male politicians and dignitaries and the gaffe effectively ended Hammond's career as the NZ Defence Department pilot.