Seeking serial of 26 Sqn Atlas written off in accident, 13 May 32

[paulmcmillan]

Newspaper: Yorkshire Evening Post
Newspaper: Hull Daily Mail
Newspaper: Leeds Mercury
Newspaper: Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/

24 May 1932 - Free to Search and 3 free articles if you register

Seaching Nelson on date throws up other reports - none mentioning type AFAIK

[SteveBrooking]

Steve sorry to say I've had no more luck with Wapitis and yes it is a question of searching an AB book... my head is spinning...
I like Paul's suggestion about a possible delivery flight to Thornaby the question is where the flight might have started "in Surrey"? A lot of the Wapitis are recorded on charge to "HAD" before delivery to a unit that is Home Aircraft Depot which was apparently at Henlow in Bedfordshire. I have no experience of the appearance/format of aircraft movement cards in the 1930s. In the AB records there are often surprisingly long gaps eg 4 or 5 years between dates which suggests to me that events went unrecorded?
I am not an expert but I believe in these situations personnel might be sent from the nearest airfield to deal with the aircraft. What was the nearest airfield to Thorne? Do the press reports record anything like that?
Steve

[Steve Brew]

Thanks Paul, I appreciate it.

Many thanks for the extra search, Steve. I appreciate your time. Paul found a few more articles - there aren't many - and one of them, states the origin was Kenley.

I have no experience with movement cards either, unfortunately, but it would be no surprise if some didn't survive.

The aircraft came down at Thorne, but he was underway from Kenley to Thornaby. Thornaby became a satellite of Catterick in 1939 (I think it was), which is why I wondered initially if it was a 26 Sqn Atlas.

I would have thought there would be a little more information available 'out there' on an accident that saw an aircraft come down in suburbia, turn over twice and catch fire. Perhaps there would have been if it was fatal. Oh well, perhaps the records haven't survived.

Thanks for your assistance

Cheers
Steve

[wwrsimon]

Found it, I think. There's a photo of the wrecked machine on page 16 of the Sheffield Daily Telegraph of May 14th 1932, with the following caption:

Plane Crash Near Doncaster
The R.A.F. plane which crashed yesterday at Hatfield, near Doncaster, turning over twice and then catching fire. The pilot escaped unhurt.

Looks like a Bulldog? Serial looks to be K1679? And it looks pretty second-hand!

Regards

Simon

EDIT - it's recorded here: http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Accmisc.htm

13.5.32
Bulldog IIA K1679, 23 Sqn, Kenley
Crashed and overturned, Hatfield, near Doncaster
Pilot unhurt

[paulmcmillan]

Richard Cawsey had it should have checked


13.5.32 Bulldog IIA K1679, 23 Sqn, Kenley
Crashed and overturned, Hatfield, near Doncaster
Pilot unhurt

[Steve Brew]

Brilliant! Thanks so much Simon and Paul

I didn't check Richard Cawsey's database as I had in mind that he only covered fatal accidents; clearly not!

So a Bulldog of 23 Sqn, and not an aircraft of 26 or 608 Sqn! I said I was happy to be corrected, but it shows the pitfalls of making assumptions on circumstantial evidence.

That said, the 23 Sqn ORB makes no mention of the accident, unfortunately. Still, the details provided by Richard Cawsey match those described in the various newspaper reports, so it definitely occurred.

It frustrates me that so many ORBs do not mention NCO pilots. So much lost to history...

[wwrsimon]

Steve

If you want a copy of the photo from the newspaper, just drop me an e-mail and I'll send it over. It's not great quality, as it's a halftone print on newsprint, but clear enough to read the serial.

Simon

[Steve Brew]

Thanks for the offer; will do.

[paulmcmillan]

Looked this up today in David Luff - Bulldog The Bristol Bulldog Fighter and AB serials

Firstly - Sgt Nelson missing from 23 Sqn muster list - but that does not mean not on 23 Sqn (I do not know Luff source but maybe ORB and ORB's do not always mention NCO pilots in this period) - his service file would confirm where he was in May 1932 - In fact only 1 Sgt Pilot Sgt E D Jack listed (so we know we are missing some, I think most Sqns at time had at least 4 airman pilots)

AB Serials has

K1679 Deld to Kenley 27-3-31: Ftg Area 23.4.31 for 23 Sqn; IA:23.5.32 after crash?; SOC 4.7.32

[Steve Brew]

Thanks Paul, I appreciate the additional info and can confirm that Nelson is not mentioned in the 23 Sqn ORB.

What's the 'IA' an abbreviation for? IE = immediate establishment, of course, but IA?

Cheers
Steve