AUDAXES K7364 & K7398 2FTS both crashed in forced landings. Oct 12th 1937 Full Story

[paulmcmillan]

AUDAXES K7364 & K7398 2FTS both crashed in forced landings. Oct 12th 1937

from Air Britain it appears


Hawker Audax Mk.I K7364 of 2 FTS, RAF Brize Norton; Written off (damaged beyond repair) 12/10/37 when force landed & hit wall, while lost on night navex.

Hawker Audax Mk.I K7398 of 2 FTS, RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire: Written off (damaged beyond repair) 12/10/37 when hit tree in forced landing while lost on navex at Ashcroft, Ozleworth, Gloucestershire

So P/O (26th Aug 1937) Ellis Henry Ross, 40059 was in K7364

and "Mr. " Evan Dunstan Griffiths #39729 was in K7398 (he was actually Acting P/O - 1st June 1937 by this date)

I would like confirmation if possible

THE SOMERSET GUARDIAN, FRIDAY. OCTOBER 15, 1937

<PHOTO> Wreckage of Audax No clear visible Serial

PLANE'S CRASH IN RADSTOCK GARDEN—The wreckage of an R.A.F. plane which crashed
in a garden at Haydon, Radstock, on Tuesday night. The pilot escaped with slight injuries.
Radstock Gets a 'Surprise Item' from the Air R.A.F. Plane Crashes in Villa Garden
PILOT'S REMARKABLE ESCAPE
Machine Wrecked but Fire Peril Averted
CONSIDERABLE excitement prevailed in Radstock on Tuesday evening (Tues 12 Oct 1937),
about nine o'clock,
when an R.A.F. aeroplane was seen flying at a very low altitude over the district,
and narrowly missing the roofs of some bungalows on the Bristol Old Road. It had a
pparently lost its way.

EVENTUALLY IT CRASHED INTO THE BACK GARDEN OF MR. WILLIAM JAMES BOURNE, OF HAYDON VILLAS,
RADSTOCK. THE PILOT, AN AUSTRALIAN, WAS RESCUED UNCONSCIOUS FROM THE WRECKAGE,
BUT WAS FOUND TO HAVE SUS-TAINED ONLY SEVERE BRUISING, ABRASIONS AND SHOCK.
HE SOON REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS.
He had had the presence of mind to cut off his petrol before the crash,
and thus minimised the risk of fire. The machine was one of two which
were missing up to 10 p.m. on Tuesday from the aerodrome at Brize Norton,
near Witney, Oxfordshire.
TAKEN TO PAULTON HOSPITAL
The airmen was Pilot-Officer Ellis H. Ross, and he stated that he was stationed at Brize Norton,
near Witney, Oxfordshire. The machine made several circuits in the district before it
came to grief.
The crash was heard over a considerable area, and people rushed to the scene.
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Bourne, who were at home at the time, were, naturally, very
alarmed at hearing such a noise at the rear of their house, the machine having
come down not more than 50 yards from their back door. Mr. Bourne, Mr. Frank Withers
and others rushed to the aid of the pilot and managed to extricate him from the wreckage.
Fortunately he had had the presence of mind to cut off his petrol and this minimised the
risk of fire.

Asked For a Cigarette Willing hands quickly carried the pilot into the
home of Mr. Bourne. He was unconsciousness. Dr. J. E. Scales of RadstaLk.
the M.O.H., for the Norton-Radstock urban district, was sent for and gave first-aid
to the airman, who soon re-covered consciousness and was found to have sustained
only severe abrasions, bruising and shock. While waitinr for the Miners' Wel-fare
ambulance to arrive Is convey him to the Paulton Memorial Hospital.
Pilot-Officer Ross, who is an Australian and has been in England only a short time,
asked for a cigarette which was quickly supplied. He was also anxious to
know whether he could get a further supply of cigarettes at the hospital, and to
get in touch with his aerodrome A 'phone message was subsequently put through to
Brize Norton. and it was stated that the machine was one of two which
were missing up to ten o'clock on Tuesday evening. garden Much Damaged
The machine was badly damaged by the crash, and also did considerable damage to Mr. Bourne's
garden The garden of Mr. Cyril Brown, next door to Mr. Bourne, also
suffered damage, for it was there that the plane first nose-dived demolishing the wall
and wire fence, before finally resting amid the cabbages and fruit trees on Mr. Bourne's
property. The aeroplane was an Audax, one of the earlier type of machines,
and was not fitted with wireless. The Norton-Radstock Fire Brigade,
on hearing of the crash. went to the scene with their engine, but
happily their services were pot required. except that one of the
firemen, who is a motor engineer, drew the petrol from the tank of
the aeroplane and thus obviated the chief risk of fire. Reice, under Supt. Norris slid P S.
Poole were on duty near the 'plane, and warned people of the danger of
smoking or lighting matches in the vicinity, owing to the risk of the petrol catching fire.
The pilot had a remarkable escape from serious injury. He, apparently, lost his way
and was casting round for a landing space, when his machine lost speed
anal crashed. Mr. Bourne, in whose garden the machine crashed, is a
prominent member of the From Hill Methodist Church, and was for
many years librarian at Radstock Public Library.
He is also connected with the Miners' Welfare Association at Kilmersdon Colliery, •
which is situatated within three hundred yards of the scene of the crash.

CRASHED IN COTSWOLDS
SECOND MISSING R.A.F. PLANE

The other R.A.F. 'plane which was reported missing with the
machine that crashed at Radslock on 'a ucaday evening,
was discovered in the early hours of Wednesday. The
pilot of the second machine had a narrow escape from death,
his 'plane crashing at Ashcroft, Ozleworth, near Wotton-under-Edge.
After hitting some trees at the edge of a field, the machine
buried its nose in the ground and swung round, crumpling the wing
and cockpit. Apparently the pilot, Mr. E. D. Griffiths,
who is stationed at Brize Norton (Oxon), lost his way and
let off a flare to see where to land. He came to rest in the
field. Mr. A. L. Thompson, who lives a few hundred yards from
where the accident happened, was in bed and saw the flare.
He heard a crash, and fearing that the aeroplane had caught fire,
jumped out of bed, and, in company with Mr. A. Bailey, who lives close by,
dashed across the fields. They found the pilot walking away from the machine,
his only visible in-juries bein g a cut han and chin.
He was taken to Ashcroft House, the re-sidence of Mr. P. S. and
Lady Eileen Chappell, where he received attention and stopped the night.
The two machines were more than 30 miles apart.

[davew]

Paul

All this agrees with what I have except that I have 40060 as Ross's number (taken from RAFC database). I note that he was lost in Hampden P4410 13/8/40. The Mr Bourne mentioned in the newspaper article lived at 5 Haydon Hill, presume a/c came down in his back garden or near to.

The location of Griffiths' accident I have noted as Ashcroft House, Olzleworth 162/799499.

DaveW

[paulmcmillan]

Agreed Ross = 40060 Thanks