The Prime Minister was very receptive and passed Briggs on to Secretary Malcolm Shepherd. Shepherd passed Briggs on to Dicky Williams, the Commanding Officer of the Air Force. Briggs was told that his request was being granted, that the Commanding Officer would be Briggs' escort, and that another Air Force officer and machine would be sent to Mildura to act as a stand-by machine. The following day, when Briggs arrived at Point Cook, he was told his escort had left for Adelaide the previous day. Briggs asked for a mechanic to accompany him, but because Briggs was a civilian the request was refused. As mechanic Briggs took along a garage motor mechanic, Albert Smyth, whom he "recruited" at the last minute.