RAF Officer Deaths 1921

[HughAHalliday]

SPINNEY, William Leslie Gordon, F/O - killed 24 February 1921 in flying accident at Cove, near Farnborough; observer F/O Hesketh escaped with only scratches.

HILL, Hepworth Ambrose Vyvian, F/O - No.100 Squadron - accidentally shot, died in hospital 25 February 1921

GARDNER, Harold William, F/O - killed 10 March 1921

REBBINGTON, Frank, Flight Sergeant - killed 16 March 1921 - Aircraft Park, Bahgdad

HEMSLEY, Noel Butler, F/O, MBE - killed 31 March 1921 with Mr. E. Fenton-Terry, a civilian assistant. They left Biggin Hill in a DH.4 on a navigation test but at 600 feet the engine cut; pilot dived to restart engine and succeeded, but it failed again and the aircraft hit the ground Bromley, foot of the valley at Biggin Hill. Hemsley appears to have died almost at once; Fenton-Terry died in the evening.

CLARKE, George Malcolm, F/L AFC - No.208 Squadron - killed 14 April 1921 - collision of two Bristol Fighters in Egypt

SMITH, Frank James, Observer Officer, MC MM - No.208 Squadron - killed 14 April 1921 - collision of two Bristol Fighters in Egypt

JONES, Edward Blake, F/O - No.208 Squadron - killed 14 April 1921 - collision of two Bristol Fighters in Egypt

COX, Pierse Joseph, F/O - killed 14 April 1921 - Adjutant, No.14 Squadron, killed in air accident, Jerusalem

ARMSTRONG, William Ash, F/O - No.208 Squadron - killed 14 April 1921 - collision of two Bristol Fighters in Egypt

DEANE, Bernard Frederick, F/O - killed 15 April 1921 with Air Mechanic J.F. Elliott, School of Army Cooperation, Andover, following engine failure

ELLIOTT, J.F., Air Mechanic - killed 15 April 1921 with F/O B.F. Deane, School of Army Cooperation, Andover, following engine failure

STEPHENSON-PEACH, William George, F/L - died of natural causes (pneumonia), Karachi, 23 April 1921 Born 6 January 1888, Repton, Burton-on-Trent, Derby. Internal Combustion Engineer, employed by Crossley’s Manchester, 1903-1914. RNAS and RAF; attained rank of Captain, 7 November 1918. Served in India . 19 February 1920 until his death as Technical Officer.

DEANE, Frederick William, F/O, DFC - No.56 Squadon - drowned 29 April 1921; buried at Alexandria

PERSHOUSE, Geoffrey Bradney, F/O - No.12 Squadron - killed 4 May 1921 with LAC Roberts - flying near Cologne; fouled telegraph wires and crashed into a tree.

ROBERTS, LAC - No.12 Squadron - killed 4 May 1921 with F/O G.B. Pershouse - flying near Cologne

HALFEY, John Albert Bernard, F/O - No.5 Squadron - died 15 May 1921; buried at Delhi.

CARR, John Henry Talbot, F/O - killed 20 May 1921, Gosport, with Aircraftman I. Armstrong

ARMSTRONG, I., Aircraftman - killed 20 May 1921, Gosport, with F/O J.H.T. Carr

EVANS, Donald Singleton, F/O - Died 27 May 1921, heat stroke, Ambala, India

NIXON, John Walpole, Observer Officer, No.6 Squadron - died 1 June 1921

COOMBS, Herbert Melbourne, F/O - killed 8 June 1921 in crash of a DH.10, No.216 Squadron, Heliopolis.

DODKINS, Lionel Claud, F/O - died 13 June 1921 - RAF Hospital, Finchley - malaria

BEAUCHAMP-PROCTOR, Andrew Frederick Weatherby, F/L VC DSO MC* DFC - killed 21 June 1921 - flying accident, Sopwith Snipe

BREWE, Cyril, P/O - No.84 Squadron - died 22 June 1921, buried in Basra.

STRUBEN, Harry Marinus, F/O - No.25 Squadron - killed 24 June 1921 - flying accident, Folkstone

PERRIN, Eugne Courtenay, F/O, OBE - died 5 July 1921, heat stroke, Jallunpur, India

YOUNG, Horace Norman, F/O, DFC - No.12 Squadron - drowned 13 July 1921

POTTER, Sydney Hugh, F/O - No.47 Squadron - killed 14 August 1921, buried in Cairo (previously Mentioned in Despatches)

SLATER, Ian Cecil, F/O - killed in flying accident, 15 August 1921 - on staff of School of Technical Training. His Bristol Fighter had engine failure; tried to turn back and lost control.

MARCUS, Stephen Percival, F/O - killed 15 August 1921, No.6 Flying Training School

SUTTON, Oliver Manners F/L, MC - Aeroplane Experimental Establishment - killed 16 August 1921, with Aircraftman Cheridan. Following from Flight, 25 August 1921: “When starting on a flight from Martlesham aerodrome, near Ispwich, on August 16, an aeroplane with four people on board crashed into a shed and was wrecked. The pilot, Captain O.M. Sutton, MC and Aircraft Cheridan being killed. The other two occupants escaped, one of them by jumping clear. The inquest threw little light on the cause of the accident. Corporal Ellison, who was one of the occupants, stated that he was in charge of the engines, which were working smoothly.”

CHERIDAN, Aircraftman - killed 16 August 1921, with F/L O.M. Sutton.

NORMAN, Geoffrey Hamilton, S/L - died 18 August 1921 at Camberley Military Hospital while on staff of RAE.

RUSH, Edward Arthur, P/O - No.2 Flying Training School - killed 19 August 1921 - crash of Bristol Fighter while on an instructional cross-country flight with P/O E.R. Lush (it appears that Rush was instructor and Lush was pupil). Following from Flight, 25 August 1921: “While on a practice cross-country flight on August 19, two officers were killed in an aeroplane accident near Thetford. At the inquest it was stated in evidence that the officers, Pilot Officer E.R. Lush and Pilot Officer E.A. Rush, who were under instruction at Duxford, were making a practice flight to Bercham Newton and back, and must have lost their way. They were in the air for over three hours, whereas the journey should have only taken half an hour. The petrol tank was found to be empty, and in attempting to turn into the wind the machine nose-dived. A verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ was returned.”

LUSH, Eric Raven, P/O - killed 19 August 1921 - crash of Bristol Fighter while on an instructional cross-country flight with P/O E.A. Rush. (it appears that Rush was instructor and Lush was pupil).

ANGER, G.S., Leading Aircraftman - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

BURTON, Frederick Ernest, Sergeant - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

DONALD, C.W., Aircraftman First Class - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

DREW, F.C., Aircraftman First Class - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

GREENE, W.H., Flight Sergeant - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

HEATH, Sidney James, Flight Sergeant, AFM - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

LITTLE, Ivo Cecil, F/L, AFC - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

MAITLAND, Edward Maitland, Air Commodore, CMG DSO AFC - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster (airship commander).

MARTIN, Alfred Thomas, Flight Sergeant - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

MASON, J.W., Sergeant - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

MATHEWSON, Thomas Frederick, F/O, AFC - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster (engineer officer)

MONTAGU, Rupert Samuel, F/L, DSC - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster (navigator)

OLIVER, William, Leading Aircraftman - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

PARKER, Roy, Aircraftman Second Class - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

PENSON, Charles William, Aircraftman First Class - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

PRITCHARD, John Edward Maddock, F/L OBE AFC - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster - Air Ministry representative

RYE, John, Flight Sergeant - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

SMITH, Frank., Flight Sergeant - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

THOMAS, Godfrey Main, F/L, DFC - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

THOMPSON, Harold, Flight Sergeant - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

WICKS, Victor Houghton, F/O - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

WILLSON, J.N., Leading Aircraftman - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

WITHINGTON, Aircraftman Second Class - killed 24 August 1921 - R.38 airship disaster

TEAGLE, Cyril Hollis, F/O - died 16 September 1921 in Mosul Military Hospital following a flying accident.

HYSLOP, Maitland, F/O - killed 30 September 1921 at Nasiryah, Iraq with AC2 E. Plummer - aircraft accident, No.84 Squadron. Aircraft (DH.9A, H66) had taken off when a 112-lb bomb exploded at 40 feet altitude. Machine burst into flames and crashed.

PLUMMER, AC2 (not further identified) - killed in flying accident, 30 September 1921, No.84 Squadron, Iraq - see F/O M. Hyslop.

BEAL, Leslie Wallis, F/O - killed 3 October 1921 at Manston, near Ramsgate, in a Vickers Vimy bomber. “An eye witness records that the machine was coming in very low over the sheds, and owing to the bumps caused by the gusty wind, she apparetly got her nose down, and turning at the same time, had not sufficient height to recover. She turned over and burst into flames.” Beal had served in the wartime RAF, then with Handley-Page Transport on the London-Paris route. Rejoined RAF early in 1921. Also killed were Aircraftmen Curtiss, Thrupp and Revell (not further identified).

CURTISS, Aircraftman - killed 3 October 1921, Vimy crash, Manston - see F/O L.W. Beal entry

THRUPP, Aircraftman - killed 3 October 1921, Vimy crash, Manston - see F/O L.W. Beal entry

REVELL, Aircraftman - killed 3 October 1921, Vimy crash, Manston - see F/O L.W. Beal entry

TEMPEST, Edmund Roger, F/L, MC DFC - killed near Baghdad, 17 December 1921

WOOD, Leslie Gronow, F/O - died 19 December 1921 “of an illness contracted in Egypt.”

[paulmcmillan]

16 August 1921

SUTTON/Cheridan is actually


Aircraftman Charles Sheridan aged 21

both killed in Bristol Braemar C4297 at Martlesham Heath

[paulmcmillan]

3 October 1921

Terence CURTIS aged 21, Aircraftman - killed 3 October 1921, Vimy crash, Manston

Walter E THRUPP aged 20, Aircraftman - killed 3 October 1921, Vimy crash, Manston

Albert A REVELL, aged 19 Aircraftman - killed 3 October 1921, Vimy crash, Manston

[davew]

Some for 1921


24 Feb Spinney, 504K F8754

20 May Carr, Panther N7433 CTO at Fort Rowner

21 Jun Beauchamp-Proctor, Snipe E8220 at Enford, Amesbury

24 Jun Struben, Snipe E6156

15 Aug Marcus STANLEY Percival as registered at Thanet BMD, Brisfit C761

16 Aug Sutton et al, Braemar C4297

19 Aug Rush/Lush, Brisfit H1419

3 Oct Beal et al, Vimy F9157

DaveW

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

A few for 1921:

04/05/21 - ROBERTS/PERSHOUSE - Bristol F2.B Fighter F4895.
08/06/21 - COOMBS - De Havilland D.H.10 E9061.
14/08/21 - POTTER - De Havilland D.H.9A E9900.
16/08/21 - SUTTON/SHERIDAN - A third member of the crew of Bristol Braemar Mk.II C4297, was Mechanic, Cpl. Cecil Ellison, who was able to slide out the aircraft after the crash, uninjured. The Captain, F/L Oliver Manners Sutton MC, was the inventor of the Sutton Harness, used exclusively on all RAF aircraft until the advent of ejector seats.*

*
Martlesham Heath: The Story of the Royal Air Force Station 1917-1973.
Kinsey,Gordon.
Lavenham:Terence Dalton Ltd.,1979(2nd.imp.).
pp.151-3

Col.

[wwrsimon]

Hugh

A few details for these three:

GARDNER, Harold William - The Western Times of March 12th 1921 reports: "Flight Officer Harold William Gardner, flying from Martlesham, Thursday, met with a fatal accident a few miles away at Hasketon. The machine nose-dived and crashed to the ground from a considerable height. Gardner, who was an expert pilot, was dead when persons who witnessed the accident reached the wreck."

NIXON, John Walpole - Died at Central RAF Hospital Finchley (Great Britain, Royal Naval Division Casualties of The Great War, 1914-1924)

TEMPEST, Edmund Roger M.C. D.F.C. - the Hull Daily Mail of December 22nd reports his death: "at Baghdad from burns received while testing a new machine." He was the brother of Major Wulstan Tempest D.S.O., who shot down Zeppelin L31 at Potters Bar in October 1916, for which he was awarded the D.S.O.

Regards

Simon

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

14/04/21 - COX, Pierse Joseph F/O.

In April (1921), the following year, Fg Off P J Cox was killed and Fg Off C Pilkington* AFC was seriously injured when their aircraft (Bristol Fighter H1533), suffered an engine failure at Ramleh. Unfortunately, Cox stalled the machine while manoeuvring to make a forced landing and the aircraft crashed.

Appendix 1. Aircraft Operated by 14 Squadron 1915-45.

A/C Type - Bristol F2b Fighter.
Serial No. - H1533
Date On -
Date Off - 14 April 1921.
Comments: Engine failed, stalled, crashed, Ramleh.
Crew: Fg Off P J Cox killed & Fg Off C Pilkington seriously injured.

* Flt Lt Christopher Pilkington transferred to the Reserve in 1926 and died in August 1934.

See:
Winged Crusaders:The Exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-1945.
Napier,Michael.
Barnsley:Pen & Sword Aviation.2012.
pp.90,121 & 296.

Col.

[greg]

Another death for 1921 that I've just come across: -

100 Squadron. 340791 AC2 A.W. Browning. Killed 26th of March 1921 when the tender he was driving was attacked by Irish rebels en-route to Dublin. A passenger, 287294 AC2 Haden suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder but survived.

Source: - AIR5/214 "Monthly Reports on RAF Operations in Ireland"

L/O

Greg

[greg]

Addenum to above: -

The RAF Museum Casualty Card records his service number as 340790.

L/O

Greg

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

To follow up on what Hugh and Simon have had to say on, Harold William GARDNER, March 12 1921:

https://sites.google.com/site/aeemar...ham-heath-1921

That's the way it should be done! First-class work.

Col.