Summary

Fragment of a book from Bill Coppinger's home at Mount Disappointment lost in the Kilmore East Bushfire on 7 February 2009. Bill had over 1,000 books in his home. This page is the only remaining evidence of this collection. The donor is a student pilot and the fragment is from a book that was inside his pilot's bag. It is one of four manuals that students use to complete their pilot's licence.

This is part of the Victorian Bushfires Collection, which includes a number of interviews with Bill Coppinger and a large range of fire affected artefacts from his destroyed home.

Physical Description

Burnt fragment from Flight Training Manual. Legible text on both sides has a series of questions with multiple choice answers.

Significance

This is a story of good fire preparation but ultimate defeat before an overwhelming firestorm. On 7 February 2009, the donor watched closely as the Kilmore East Fire jumped the Hume Highway and moved across to the base of his property on Mount Disappointment. He was aware of the fire's movements, had vast amounts of water and was properly prepared to 'stay and defend', but his house, sheds and all their contents were destroyed. He lost his dog and very nearly lost his life.

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