March 1929 Casualties and Incidents

[paulmcmillan]

Additions and more information welcomed

Casualties

1 March 1929

Collision - Gamecocks of 23 Sqn. Flying Officer Patrick Nelson Sealy-Allin killed and Flt. Sergt. James Guy Freeman baled out OK.

3 March 1929

Aircraftman 1st Class, James Richard Knight, #364049. 84 Bombing Sqn. buried at BASRA (MAKINA) R.A.F. CEMETERY killed in Action in an engagement between R.A.F. aeroplanes and Wahibi raiders.

9 March 1929

Flying Officer Arthur John (Peacey A J RAFO) Death presumed on or since 9 Mar 1929. Peacey was a member of the Nottingham Aero Club at Hucknall. On 9 March 1929 he flew in DH.60X Moth G-AABA on a short flight. He was flying and went missing. Wreckage of the plane was found by German steamer 'Margot' 90 miles East South East of Hull.

11 March 1929

Corporal W.D. (William David?) Shrubsole #356398. No. 2 A.C.C. Royal Air Force. buried at KHAYAT BEACH WAR CEMETERY Plot E Grave 2. Note Not Shrudsole as elsewhere

18 March 1929

Flying Officer Yvon William Burnett and LAC. (Act. Sjt.) Thomas Condy Turner #362709 killed in Fairey IIIF SR1191 of 47 Sqn at Gwelo in Southern Rhodesia (as was). They was part of the R.A.F. team that were on Cape Town to Cairo flight. Turner was killed in crash and Burnett Died of Injuries shortly after the incident

23 March 1929

Flying Officer, Francis Jack Moon died at R.A.F. Hospital. Aden, of enteric (Typhoid) fever buried at
MAALA CEMETERY

29 March 1929

Corporal Reginald James Parker #345420. 84 Bombing Sqn. buried at BASRA (MAKINA) R.A.F. CEMETERY Row C Grave 7.


Incidents


March 1929 (precise date not known)

Fairey Fawn J6991 of 503 Sqn crashed at Metheringham, Lincs.

March 1929 (precise date not known) but before March 21st

Sqn Ldr E B Rice to the R.A.F. at Hinaidi, Iraq made a forced landing 90 miles east of Jask, due to owing to engine trouble, whilst on a return flight to Iraq.
"A relief machine flew out to him from Baghdad with a spare engine, but found that the machine was deep in marshy ground, and unable to take-off."

6 March 1939

Siskin of J7158 of 5FTS involved in propeller accident.

11 March 1929

Blackburn Dart S1129 forced landing in Solent whilst practising carrier deck landings.no casualties. Pilot was Sdn Ldr B H M Kendall

26 March 1929

Maybe 25 March 1929. Exercises off Gibraltar. Aeroplane from HMS Argus made a forced descent on the sea, seven miles astern of the Argus. 3 crew rescued

[COL BRUGGY]

Paul,

1 March 1929.

Gamecocks J7908, J8090 and J8415 taking part in the Hampshire Air Pageant held at Hamble on May 31, 1928. J8415 collided with Gamecock J8094 over RAF Kenley on March 1 the following year.

(Photo caption) Aeroplane Monthly. July, 1981. (Vol.19. No.7 - Issue No.219). pp.404-5.

See also:
On Silver Wings:RAF Biplane Fighters between the Wars.
Lumsden,Alec & Owen Thetford.
London:Osprey Aerospace,1993.
p.108.

No crew named.

Col.

[Litcham_Lad]

Paul

Additions: (from J1-J9999)

07-Mar-1929 J8692 Avro 504N RAFC Cranwell, Lincolnshire
Crashed whilst avoiding collision during approach 0 Casualties
11-Mar-1929 J8988 Avro 504N 4FTS Abū Suwayr al Mahattah, Al Ismā‘īlīyah, Egypt
Swung on take-off and hit stationary Avro 504 J8987 0 Casualties
11-Mar-1929 J8929 Victoria IV 70s Rafah, Shamāl Sīnāʼ, Egypt
Force-landed due to engine failure 0 Casualties

dg

[paulmcmillan]

Col and dg

Much appreciated

Col the Gamecock collision Serials also allowed me some additional info on pre war baleouts


Paul

[COL BRUGGY]

Paul,

The Gamecocks collided at 1,800 feet. One of the pilots was blinded by the sun (obviously the survivor).

Col.

[Pete]

From The Times Mar 2.
Inquest into the death of F/LT George Anthony Fielding Bucknall killed near Duxford 28 Feb. Flew into the ground whilst diving. Verdict Accidental death due to misjudging distances
The same article also gives details of the Kenley Gamecock crash

[paulmcmillan]

Pete

Thanks found this info in a Australian Newspaper

Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954)(about) Previous issue Thursday 18 April 1929
PILOTS PARACHUTE ESCAPE.
FLYING Officer Patrick N. Sealy-Allin, of 23 (Fighter) Squadron, R.A.F., was killed and Sergeant Pilot J. G Freeman had a wonderful escape, when the aeroplanes they were piloting were in collision above Kenley aerodrome, England.
The two machines went out of control after the collision at 1,000ft. Sergeant Freeman threw himself out with his parachute and landed safely on the roof of a hangar. Mr Sealy-Allin was apparently unable to free himself, and was found dead, jammed in the cockpit of his wrecked machine. Sergeant Freeman was blown by the wind towards the hangars, and could be seen tugging at his parachute ropes in a desperate effort to steer himself clear of the obstruction. He was unsuccessful and only by desperate kicking was he able to throw himself clear of a glass roof, into which he nearly crashed. He landed on the sloping roof of the hangar and was stranded their until a number of men took a ladder across and helped him down. "I heard a crash as the two machines came together in mid-air," said a spectator "then both machines twisted and turned as they crashed earthwards. I saw Freeman throw himself out and, for a minute or two I thought his, parachute was not going to open. It did, however and he came down safely."

[paulmcmillan]

11 March 1929

Slight update first name confirmed as William

Corporal William D (David?) Shrubsole #356398. No. 2 A.C.C. Royal Air Force. buried at KHAYAT BEACH WAR CEMETERY Plot E Grave 2.

[paulmcmillan]

Update

Picture in Daily Mirror March 2, 1929 has photo of Freeman's machine J8415

[Teardrop]

Amongst my grandfather's photographs I have one of J8988 in a crashed state. A blackboard in the background has a date of 13/03/1929. My grandfather was based in Abu Sueir at this time. Not sure if he took it or not, there is not official stamp on the back so he may have done. If you would like to see a copy let me know and I'll try to figure out how to do it.




Paul

Additions: (from J1-J9999)

07-Mar-1929 J8692 Avro 504N RAFC Cranwell, Lincolnshire
Crashed whilst avoiding collision during approach 0 Casualties
11-Mar-1929 J8988 Avro 504N 4FTS Abū Suwayr al Mahattah, Al Ismā‘īlīyah, Egypt
Swung on take-off and hit stationary Avro 504 J8987 0 Casualties
11-Mar-1929 J8929 Victoria IV 70s Rafah, Shamāl Sīnāʼ, Egypt
Force-landed due to engine failure 0 Casualties

dg