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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0964.PDF
/OCHT] SEPTEMBER 18, 1914. DEATH OF MR. RICHARD T. GATES. IT is with profound regret that we have to record the death of Flight Lieutenant Richard T. Gates, which took place at the London Sick Asylum on Monday last, following on an accident which occurred at Hendon late on the previous Thursday. Lieut. Gates had only recently been appointed to the R.N.A.S. for special work connected with the training of pilots for the Royal Navy, and while on duty on the night of the accident he made an ascent on a Henry Farman machine. On returning to the aerodrome difficulty was experienced in landing, either because, in the darkness, the pilot was unable to see the ground clearly or, as some think, owing to the glare of the searchlights confusing him. In any case, it would appear that the machine failed to flatten out at the right moment; it struck the ground at a bad angle, and was smashed, the pilot being pitched on his head, and sustain ing injuries to which he succumbed, despite tWe most expert surgical attention. His appointment to the R.N.A.S. did not represent the first time he had served his country, as Lieut. Gates fought through the war in South Africa as a trooper in the Yeomanry; he had his horse shot under him and sustained some injury, which, at times, troubled hirn to the day of his death. It was as the manager of the London Aerodrome at Hendon, however, that he was best known in connection with aviation; it was principally due to his foresight and energy that the famous aerodrome enjoyed the popularity that it did. Starting on what must have been a stupendous task, he turned an open and rather moist meadow into a fashion able resort—an " Ascot in London " ; while on the other hand, the half a dozen old sheds grew into almost a mile of hangars and workshops of sufficient importance to become the "headquarters" of popular aviation in this country. As a man, Mr. Gates shared with others of his temperament the distinction of being often misunder- r light Lopyngnt. A reminiscence of the late Mr. R. T. Gates flying the old Farman school-'bus at Hendon in Julv, 1912. Mr. Gates obtained his brevet (No. 225) on June 4th, 1912, on the Howard-Wright at Hendon. 964 stood. Bluff to a degree, he never wasted a word, but gave his orders and directions crisply, to the point, and altogether in a manner likely to lead a stranger to suppose him a Martinet of the very first order, though, as a fact, a more kind-hearted man never lived. On one point all those who knew him will agree—he was never known to go back on his word once given, verbal" or written. If he said "Yes" it was yes, and, in the same manner, when he gave an order it had to be carried out. Born in 1876, he died at an age far too young to be spared, and in his death aviation mourns one of its strong men. Hendon will greatly miss him, and difficulty will be experienced in the search for a successor of his worth. He leaves a widow and two children— one only a few months old—to whom we offer our deepest sympathy in their great bereavement. At the inquest held on Wednesday last, the evidence showed that after the machine had circled the aerodrome three times it struck the ground with such force that the pilot was thrown a distance of thirty feet. A verdict of " Accidental death " was re turned. The funeral took place on Thurs day with full naval honours.
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