ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 218598
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| Date: | Tuesday 1 June 1915 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | Sopwith Admiralty Type 806 Gunbus |
| Owner/operator: | RNAS Hendon |
| Registration: | 802 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Theobalds Park,Cheshunt, Hertfordshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RNAS Hendon, Hendon, Middlesex |
| RNAS Hendon, Hendon, Middlesex | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
1.6.15: Sopwith Admiralty Type 806 "Gunbus" No.802, RNAS, Hendon. Written off (damaged beyond repair) when overturned landing in fog after Anti-Zeppelin patrol, Theobald Park, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, on the night of May 31st/June 1st 1915. Of the crew of two, one - Flt Lt Douglas Meston Barnes (aged 27) - was killed. The other - Flt Sub-Lt Benjamin Travers - was injured. According to a published source (see link #3):
"Overnight 31st May/1st June there is another raid by Army Zeppelin LZ38 now with the Kaiser’s authority to attack London “east of the Tower”. Flying high and not picked up by searchlights it drops 30 small bombs and 90 incendiaries over Stoke Newington, Stepney and Leytonstone killing seven people and injuring thirty-five. Fifteen aircraft go after it from six airfields including Sopwith “SS3” scouts Nos.1210 & 1212 from Eastchurch and Westgate and pusher “Gunbus” No.802 from Hendon. No.802 crashes trying to land in the dark at Theobalds Park in Hertfordshire killing the pilot Fl Lt D M Barnes. His gunner Flt Sub-Lt Ben Travers is thrown out and survives to do much more flying and delight future theatregoers."
Post war - from 1922 onwards - Ben Travers became well known as a playwright and author of the "Aldwych Farces" which he continued to write until 1976. He died in 1980 aged 94 (see link #4)
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4017092/barnes,-/
3. https://www.kingstonaviation.org/sopwith-day-by-day/1915.html
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Travers#Early_years
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopwith_Gunbus
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Nov-2018 17:47 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
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