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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0554.PDF
|/yGHT] was flying perfectly. After Capt. Anderson started the witness saw Lieut. Wilson's machine coming back. The latter might then have been 2,000 ft. up, but Capt. Anderson's biplane was a good deal lower. The witness paid no further attention to the flying until he heard an exclamation. Then he saw that one of the machines was spinning round horizontally, apparently with a broken wing, while the other seemed to be dropping vertically to the ground. On his arrival at the scene of the accident he found both machines wrecked, Lieut. Wilson lying down and Capt. Anderson and Air-Mechanic Carter dead. Replying to questions, Major Higgins said that when machines were started from different points they could not tell every pilot which machines were already in the air, but Capt. Anderson knew that Lieut. Wilson had gone to Brooklands. At certain angles pilots might have some difficulty in seeing straight ahead, and there was sometimes a difficulty in seeing upwards because of the top plane, but pilots were always careful to dip at intervals in order to enlarge their field of vision. The witness explained the inter- ® ® ROYAL FLYING CORPS. THE following appointments were announced by the Admiralty on the i3thinst. s— Lieuts. T. T. Babington to the "Pembroke," additional, for Isle of Grain Naval Air Station, and F. E. T. Hewlett, to the " Pem broke," additional, temporary, both as Flight Commanders. To date May 6th. The following appointments were announced in the London Gazette of the 15th inst. :— R.F.C.—Military Wing.—The undermentioned appointments to take effect from April 28th, 1914 : To be Flying Officers, and to be seconded: Capt. Lionel E. O. Charlton, D.S.O., Lancashire Fusiliers; Lieut. Augustus C. E. Marsh, Royal Artillery; Lieut. Amyas E. Borton, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders); Lieut. Hyacinth J. A. Roche, Royal Munster Fusiliers; Lieut. Robert J. F. Barton, Royal Scots Fusiliers ; Lieut. Wilfrid R. Freeman, Manchester Regiment ; Lieut. William H. C. Mansfield, King's (Shropshire Light Infantry); Lieut. Charles B. Spence, Royal Artillery; and Second Lieut. William R. Read, 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards. To the Reserve: Capt. Robert A. Boger, Royal Engineers; Capt. Hugh C. T. Dowding, Royal Artillery ; Lieut. Alexander F. A. Hooper, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) ; Lieut, William F. MacNeece, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment); Lieut. Hugh F. M. Worthington-Wilmer, Royal Scots (Lothian Regiment); and Second Lieut. William F. R. Dobie, Gordon Highlanders. Capt Lionel E. O. Charlton, D.S.O., Lancashire Fusiliers, a • lying Officer, to be a flight commander. Dated May 1st, 1914. The following were announced by the Admiralty on the 19th inst.:— Staff Surgeons Charles J. O'Connell, to the " Pembroke," addi tional, for Calshot Naval Air Station. To date May 27. The following appointment was announced in the London Gazelle of the 19th inst. :— R.F.C.—Military Wing.—Second-Lieut. Alan Hartree, Royal Artillery, from the Reserve, to be a flying officer, and to be seconded. Dated May 3rd, 1914. ROYAL FLYING CORPS (MILITARY WING). WAR OFFICE summary of work for week ending May 16th, 1914 :— No. 2 Squadron.—No. 2 Squadron Aircraft, and complete with Mechanical Transport aDd personnel, under the command of Brevet Major C. J. Burke, left Montrose on Monday, the nth inst., on its iourney to Netheravon, Salisbury Plain, to take part in the R.F.C. Military Wing Concentration Camp. The itinerary has been as follows :— Monday, nth inst., left Montrose, arrived Edinburgh. Tuesday, 12th inst., left Edinburgh, arrived Berwick. Wednesday, 13th inst., left Berwick, arrived Blythe. Thursday, 14th inst., left Blythe, arrived West Hartlepool. The Aircraft and Mechanical Transport arrived to scheduled time at the points mentioned. On Friday, the 15th inst., during the flight from West Hartle pool to York, the machines ran into a thick bank of fog. Three were wrecked and one was damaged in alighting. One of these accidents was the cause of the deeply-regretted deaths of Lieut. Empson and Air-Mechanic Cudmore. On the fog clearing, Major Burke concentrated the Squadron at the Knavesmire, York, where it was halted for the week end as originally arranged. It will proceed, via Lincoln, Northampton, and Oxford to Netheravon this week. No. 3 Squadron.—Numerous cross - country reconnaissances took place during the week. The pilots of all three " Flights " were out daily. No. 4 Squadron.—A considerable amount of flying was carried MAY 22, 1914. national rule which forbade pilots to approach within 50 metres of another machine, and the regulations governing meeting, passing, and overtaking. The area hidden from the pilot was not very large, and it was conceivable, although not very likely, that another machine might keep within that area. He was afraid that that had happened on this occasion. He was perfectly certain that the two pilots did not see each other until too late to avoid a collision. Sergeant Mallett said that as the machines came into collision Mr. Wilson's lower left wing seemed to catch the tip of the upper right wing of Captain Anderson's biplane. Then after they had travelled about 200 yds. both machines fell. Sergeant Mallett and Sergeant Patterson also stated that they inspected the machines and that both were in perfect order before the flight. Major A. R. Greenwood, R.A.M.C, gave evidence that the necks of both airmen were broken. The jury decided that there was no need to adjourn for Mr. Wilson's evidence, and returned a verdict of " Accidental death." ® ® out by all the Officer, N.C.O. and A.M. pilots, including recon naissances over Salisbury Plain and the surrounding country. No. 5 Squadron.—The pilots of this squadron were, during the early part of the week, engaged daily in reconnaissance flights. No. 6 Squadron.—All three " Flights " were fully occupied in practising observation over the country round Aldershot. Several new officers reported themselves for duty with this squadron at the termination of their course at the Central Flying School onithe 9th. Nos. 1 and 7 Squadrons.—The organisation of the two newly- formed squadrons was proceeded with, and instructional work, lectures on aircraft, engines, &c., were carried out. Aircraft Park.—Aircraft Patk is kept fully occupied with over hauling engines, both aircraft and mechanical transport, and with general repair work. Headquarter Flight.—Experimental work of various kinds from aircraft and free balloons was continued. General News.—The Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) has suffered severely during the week. Owing to fatal accidents whilst flying, two officers, Capt. E. V. Anderson of the Black Watch, and a Flight Commander in No. 5 Squadron, and Lieut. J. Empson, of the Royal Fusiliers, and a Flying Officer of No. 2 Squadron, lost their lives. In each case the air mechanic in charge of the engine was also killed—Air-Mechanic Carter, of No. 5 Squadron, and Air- Mechanic Cudmore, of No. 2 Squadron. The former was with Lieut. C. W7. Wilson, with whose machine Capt. Anderson's collided, and the latter was with Lieut. Empson. Lieut. Wilson received injuries to his jaw, and is progressing favourably. The funeral of the late Capt. Anderson and Air-Mechanic Carter took place at Aldershot on the 15th inst. Besides all the Officers of the Black Watch and all the Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-com missioned Officers and Men of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing), at Farnborough, a large contingent of the Royal Flying Corps (Military W'ing) from Netheravon (Nos. 3 and 4 Squadrons) was also present. In addition, the funeral procession included Col. Marker, representing Sir Douglas Haig, General Lomax, Command ing the 1 st Division, and representatives from every unit serving in the Aldershot Command. The funeral of the late Lieut. Empson took place near Staddle- thorpe on Wednesday, and that of Air-Mechanic Cudmore on Thursday, at Manchester. Messages of sympathy have been received from the Prime Minister and the First Lord of the Admiralty. ® ® ® ® British Army Aeroplanes. REPLYING to questions in the House of Commons, Mr. Harold Baker, Financial Secretary to the War Office, stated last week that the War Office at present has 176 aeroplanes, of which 70 are under repair ; 136 machines are of British manufacture. It would not be in the public interest to state how many are fitted with wireless telegraphy or photographic apparatus. South Africa and Aviation. IT is announced that six officers, Capt. Wallace (in command),. Lieuts. Emmett, Creed, Turner, Van der Spuy and S. Williams, of the South African Union Defence Force, have arrived in England to undergo a course of training at the Central Flying School. sM _, Long Flight by Naval D.F.W. LEAVING Gosport at 7.30 a.m. on Wednesday of last week, in the face of pouring rain and a N.E. wind, Lieut. C. H. Collet, R.M.A., of the Naval Wing R.F.C., made a splendid flight of 7i hours across England on an all-steel 100 h.p. D.F.W. Arrow biplane. The machine carried a useful load of 1,400 lbs., including 125 gallons of petrol, oil and water, sufficient for a flight of 15 hours. The landing was effected between Hull and Grimsby. 54
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