ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 220971
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| Date: | Thursday 8 March 1917 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 |
| Owner/operator: | 37 (Reserve) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | A3439 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Whissensdine, North West of Oakham, Rutland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RFC Scampton, Lincolnshire |
| RFC Scampton, Lincolnshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
8.3.17: Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 A3439, 37 (Reserve) Squadron, RFC Scampton, Lincolnshire. Written off (damaged beyond repair) when crashed on forced landing due to engine trouble, Whissendine, north west of Oakham, Rutland (at approximate co ordinates 52.720°N 0.771°W). Of the two crew on board, one - 2nd Lt George Howard Boorne (pilot, Canadian, aged 23) died 28.3.17 (20 days later) of injuries sustained. The other crew member - 2nd Lt George Thornton Potter (observer) - was injured.
George Howard Boorne was born on 28th November 1893 and was a native of Ottawa Canada. The newspaper clipping showing his photo states that he enlisted in the RFC in Nov 1914, his attestation papers are dated 27th May 1915 when he took the Oath to His Majesty King George V during his attestation upon joining the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force.
According to the Commonwealth Ware Graves information, George was born at Norwich and was the eldest son of Charles H. and Mary E. Boorne, of 375, Bronson Avenue, Ottawa, Canada. Served with C.E.F. in France and Belgium.
The London Gazette issued on 30 October 1916 contained the names of military personnel that were being assigned for duty with the RFC, one of which was Corpl. G. H. Boorne, from, a Canadian Divisional Signal Company, 28th Sept. 1916.
On the 28th September 1916, George was appointed the rank of Temporary 2nd Lt and achieved full promotion to 2nd Lt on 1st March 1917 upon posting to No 37 Reserve Squadron Royal Flying Corps and based at Scampton.
George was the pilot of Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 A3439 and was accompanied by 2nd Lt George T Potter as Observer on their training flight on 28th March 1917.
The Flight Magazine dated 5th April 1917 contained the following article: “At a Leicestershire town on March 29th an inquest was held on 2nd Lieut. G. H. Boorne, 24, of the R.F.C., who died the previous day as the result of an accident whilst flying over the Midlands on March 8th, and a verdict of “Accidental Death ” was returned. 2nd Lieut. Boorne was a native of Ottawa, Canada.”
The Melton Times newspaper published on Friday March 30th 1917 contained the following article:
“FLYING OFFICERS FATAL ACCIDENT
Lieut. George Howard Boorne, of the Royal Flying Corps, who was severely injured as the result of an accident whilst flying over the Whissendine district on March 8th suddenly expired at Wicklow Lodge Hospital on Wednesday afternoon, and at an inquest held yesterday afternoon, before Mr. A H Marsh, coroner, a verdict of accidental death was returned. Deceased was a native of Ottawa Canada, and was 24 years of age. He was unmarried.”
The following weeks issue of the Melton Times contained more information about the inquest. Observer, 2nd Lt George Potter said that “on the 8th March he was flying as an observer with deceased as pilot. When in the vicinity of Whissendine station they had to make an emergency landing, owing to the engine not giving its maximum number of revolutions. Some little time previously, the engine had begun to give trouble, and they gradually lost height. They saw a field which was considered a suitable landing place, and came down all right until within about 60 or 70 feet of the ground, when the machine suddenly crashed down. He could not remember anything else until he got to the hospital."
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1917.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/373632/boorne,-george-howard/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/7000265680-boorne-g.h.-george-howard
4. Flight magazine April 5, 1917 page 322): https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1917/1917%20-%200322.html?search=George%20Howard%20Boorne
5. https://www.rafa.org.uk/melton-mowbray/2nd-lt-george-howard-boorne-re8-a3439
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whissendine
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Jan-2019 00:08 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 21-Jan-2019 00:33 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 22-Jan-2019 19:31 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
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