Date:	Wednesday 28 January 1953
Time:	day
Type:	Boulton Paul Balliol T Mk 2
Owner/operator:	7 FTS RAF
Registration:	WG122
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants:
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Borderville Farm, one mile north of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland
Destination airport:	RAF Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Boulton Paul Balliol T.Mk.2 WG122: Awaiting Collection 12/12/1952. Delivered to the RAF at 7 FTS, RAF Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland, 7/1/1953 coded "D-R".

Written off (destroyed) 28/1/53: The pilot had taken off from RAF Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland, to make several "touch and go" landings and take offs from RAF Woolfox Lodge RLG (Relief Landing Ground), in Leicestershire. After having completed the final "touch and go" landing and take off, as he had been briefed, the pilot then undertook unauthorised low-level aerobatics over Stamford, Lincolnshire, approximately five miles south of RAF Woolfox Lodge. During this time, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, and crashed into a ploughed field, at Borderville Farm, one mile North of Stamford, Lincolnshire. The pilot (flying solo) was killed. According to one local source (see link #15)

"On Wednesday 28th January 1953, a Balliol from Number 7 Flying Training School, crashed in a ploughed field at Borderville Farm on the outskirts of Stamford killing the pilot. At the controls of the plane was Acting Pilot Officer Michael Charles Cameron Claremont Constantine DeCourcy, grandson to Baron Kingsdale and heir to the barony.

DeCourcy had been performing low aerobatics over Borderville when the accident happened. The aircraft struck the ground ending up on its nose with the tail and engine having broken off completely. Building workers on the New Drift Estate rushed to the scene but nothing could be done for the young pilot. Married for less than 2 years.

Crew of Balliol WG122:
Acting Pilot Officer (4096469) Michael Charles Cameron Claremont Constantine DeCourcy, RAF (pilot, aged 22) - killed in service 28/1/1953, buried at Cottesmore (St. Nicholas) Churchyard Extension, Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland

Michael Charles Cameron Claremont Constantine de Courcy was born on 18 September 1930. He was the son of Lt.-Cdr. Hon. Michael John Rancé de Courcy and Glory Elizabeth Evans. He married Anne Grey Barrett, daughter of Major J. L. M. Barrett, in 1951. The fatal crash was widely reported at the time, as the pilot had aristocratic connections - he was expected to inherit a Barony and enter the House of Lords as the 30th Baron Kingsale (although he stated that his "day job" was that of a journalist - and he was married to one (see link #14))

Extract from "The Courier Mail, Brisbane" dated Saturday, 31 January 1953
"Heir Killed
London, January 30.
Pilot Officer Michael Charles Cameron de Courcy, 22, grandson of Baron Kingsale and heir to the barony, was killed today when a training plane he was piloting crashed in Lincolnshire."

Extract from "The Sunday Herald" dated Sunday, 1 February 1953
"Crash Kills Baron's Heir
London, Jan. 31
Acting Pilot-Officer Michael Charles Cameron de Courcy, 22, grandson of Baron Kingsale and heir to the barony, was killed yesterday when a training plane which he was piloting crashed in Lincolnshire".

He was the elder son of Commander Michael de Courcy, who was killed in action in 1940. Michael de Courcy's half-brother, who is 13, becomes heir to the title. The holder of the title is entitled to wear his hat in the presence of the Sovereign.

Sir John de Courcy won that privilege in the 12th century when he fought and won a single-handed combat against a Frenchman to decide an issue between the two countries".

Extract from "Cairns Post" dated Monday, 2 February 1953
"Crash Kills Baron's Heir
London, Jan. 31.
Acting Pilot Officer Michael Charles Cameron de Courcy (22), grandson of Baron Kingsale and heir to the barony, was killed yesterday when a training plane which he was piloting crashed in lincolnshire. He was the elder son of Commander Michael de Courcy, who was killed in action in 1940."

1. Halley, James (1999) Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents Tunbridge Wells: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. p.140 ISBN 0-85130-290-4.
2. Last Take-off: A Record of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p 335
3. Royal Air Force Aircraft WA100-WZ999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1983 p 73)
4. The Boulton Paul Balliol: The Last Merlin-Powered Aircraft By Alec Brew
5. The Courier Mail, Brisbane" dated Saturday, 31 January 1953
6. The Sunday Herald dated Sunday, 1 February 1953
7. Cairns Post" dated Monday, 2 February 1953
8. https://www.ashefamily.info/ashefamily/3737.htm
9. 7 FTS ORB (Operational Record Book)(Air Ministry Form AM/F.540) for the period 1/1/1951 to 31/12/1955: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 29/2154 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4101864
10. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WG
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Woolfox_Lodge
12. http://www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk/war/casualty/view/29814
13. http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/kingsale1340.htm
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_de_Courcy#Personal_life
15. http://www.ancestorgateway.com/forum/print_topic.cfm?ForumID=7&ThreadID=11162&Thread=819

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Jun-2008 20:38	JINX	Added
19-Jun-2013 18:22	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
22-Oct-2016 14:43	David	Updated [Aircraft type, Departure airport, Destination airport]
10-Apr-2021 19:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
10-Apr-2021 19:25	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
10-Apr-2021 19:31	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
10-Apr-2021 19:36	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
10-Apr-2021 19:57	Dandy	Updated [Operator, Location, Nature, Narrative, Operator]
10-Apr-2021 21:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
11-Apr-2021 15:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
11-Apr-2021 15:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
12-Apr-2021 19:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]