Reiger (Heron) 1937:  This was the name of a KLM airplane, making a pioneering flight from Amsterdam to Johannesburg in 1937. Of especial interest is the captain, Adriaan Viruly (1905-1986), seen here seated in the middle. He later became a well-known author whose first popular book was called Proceed  but take no risks, an account of several pioneering flights from Europe to The Netherlands East Indies. His cousin, standing on his left was a good friend of my parents. Press photograph taken in Germiston South Africa.

Viruly has a web site dedicated  in his memory ( Dutch). Reiger is also the name of one of the first ships to sail to South Africa to start the colony at the Cape of Good Hope in the early 17th century.

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