"Sergeant Rex Brooke-Taylor, who was killed in an aircraft accident near Ashhurst yesterday, is the second son lost by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roydon Brooke-Taylor, of Raroa Road, Kelburn,in the present war. Another son, Pilot Officer Keith Brooke-Taylor, lost his life as the result of air operations overseas on April 7. The third son is a Flying Officer in the R.N.Z.A.F. at Whenuapai. Sergeant Rex Brooke-Taylor was educated at the Terrace School and at Wellington College. As a member of the Territorial Air Force, he was called up at the outbreak of war and after being an armourer at Woodbourne he became a pilot at Wigram, going from there in recent months to Ohakea as a sergeant-pilot instructor. His widow is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Kitching, of Creswick Terrace, Northland."  [Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 157, 31 December 1940, Page 9]

Rex Brooke-Taylor was the instructor on a cross country flight with pupil Thomas Alexander. At 0745 the plane was seen at 100ft, losing height and turning steeply to the left. It crashed into power lines and a two-storey house, near Ashurst, at the entrance to the Manawatu Gorge. None of the occupants of the house were injured. [For Your Tomorrow, Errol Martyn, Vol.1, p.104]