ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 208201
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| Date: | Friday 24 March 1939 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth |
| Owner/operator: | 34 E&RFTS RAF |
| Registration: | N6454 |
| MSN: | 3784 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | North Benfleet, Essex, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Rochford, Southend Airport, Southend, Essex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
DH.82 Tiger Moth MSN 3784 (Gipsy Major #80706): Taken on charge as N6454 at ‘H’ MU Waddington 30.11.38. To 34 ERFTS Southend 30.12.38
Written off (destroyed) 24.3.39 in a midair collision with Hawker Audax Mk.1 K8329, (also of 34 E&RFTS) at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet over North Benfleet, Essex. Both crew of the Tiger Moth were killed:
Flight Lieutenant Harold Bertie Robertson (Instrcutor Pilot) RAFO - killed
Sergeant Edward George Dyas (Pupil Pilot u/t) RAF - killed
As reported in a contemporary local newspaper ("Aberdeen Press and Journal, Monday 27 March 1939):
TWO KILLED IN MID-AIR COLLISION When two aeroplanes collided at a height of 2000 feet over North Benfleet, Essex, the two occupants of a dual-control Tiger Moth lost their lives. They were Flight-Lieutenant Harold Bertie Robertson (34). of London, and Sergeant Edward George Dyas"
Sgt Lawrence Thomas Wilton-Jones unhurt in Audax K8329. According to the official Air Ministry announcement in "Flight" magazine (April 6, 1939 page 352 - see link #4):
"FLYING ACCIDENTS
THE Air Ministry regrets to announce the following accidents : -
Flt. Lt. Harold Bertie Robertson and Sgt. Edward George Dyas lost their lives as the result of a collision in the air, which occurred at North Benfleet on March 25 between two aircraft No. 34 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School, Southend. Sgt. Dyas was the pilot and Flt. Lt. Robertson the occupant of one aircraft, and Sgt L. T. Wilton-Jones the pilot and sole occupant of the other aircraft. Sgt. Wilton-Jones was not injured".
Wreckage recovered to RAF Hornchurch for disposal 25.3.39, and formally Struck Off charge 30.4.39.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1983)
2. TWO KILLED IN MID-AIR COLLISION: Aberdeen Press and Journal, Monday 27 March 1939
3. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939.htm
4. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/dh/p037.html
5. https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1939/1939%20-%201017.PDF
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Benfleet
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Mar-2018 21:50 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 25-Mar-2018 21:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 20-Nov-2018 15:06 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 01-Aug-2021 17:51 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 01-Aug-2021 20:17 | Jouda | Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative, Operator] |
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