ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 221516
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| Date: | Wednesday 9 May 1917 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Curtiss H.8 Large America |
| Owner/operator: | RNAS Tresco |
| Registration: | 8664 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 1 mile South West of Gugh Island, Scilly Isles -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RNAS Tresco, St Mary's, Scilly Isles |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
9.5.17: Curtiss H.8 8664, RNAS Tresco.St Mary's, Scilly Isles. Curtis H.8 'Large America' Flying Boat 8664 attacked a U-boat, but failed to recover from bombing run, fell into the sea, and exploded 1 mile South West of Gugh Island, Scilly Isles, while patrolling off the Scilly Isles, All three crew killed:
Flt Lt John Cedric Railton (aged 27) drowned
Flt Sub-Lt Robert Scott Whigham (aged 19) drowned
Leading Mechanic David John Birse (Service Number F/8326, aged 24) killed
The following is a published biography of one of the crew - John CredricRailton (see link #15)
"Pilot of the Royal Naval Air Service.
Died because of it in 1917 during the 1st World War while undertaking an air-patrol along the coast.
Alderley Edge suffered only one casualty in May 1917 - Flight Lieutenant John Cedric Railton, of the Royal Naval Air Service. Aerial warfare was in its infancy in the First World War. The Royal Flying Corps was formed in 1912 and the RNAS was separated from it in 1914. Its main function was to patrol the coasts and waters around the UK for enemy ships and U-boats. It was presumably while engaged in this work that Flt-Lieut. Railton, who was based at Tresco in the Isles of Scilly – the western approaches to the Channel - was drowned on 9th May.
John Cedric Railton was the eldest son of Charles Withington Railton, a stockbroker, and his wife Charlotte. He was born in 1890 and baptized at St Philip’s Church. He was educated at St Bee’s School in Cumbria. In 1911, aged 21, he was living with his parents at Cherry Tree House, Macclesfield Road, and is described as a sharebroker’s clerk, probably working for his stockbroker father. He enlisted on 2nd November 1914 in the RNAS and was assigned to the armoured car division. A little-known aspect of the history of the RNAS is that at the outbreak of the war an RNAS squadron went to France to support the ground forces. Having few aircraft, their commander formed the UK’s first armoured car unit, which Railton joined. He was with this unit until it disbanded in August 1915, when its work was taken over by the army. He then trained as a pilot, obtaining his certificate on 1st February 1916 on a Maurice Farman biplane."
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1917.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/347126/railton,-john-cedric/
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3053871/whigham,-robert-scott/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/347020/birse,-/
5. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/railton-j.c.-john-cedric
6. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/whigham-r.s.-robert-scott
7. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/birse-d.j.-david-j
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gugh
9. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59983823/john-cedric-railton
10. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/6228682
11. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/438
12. http://www.worldwar1atsea.net/xDKCas1917-05May.htm
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_Model_H
14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNAS_Tresco
15. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Railton-48
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Feb-2019 21:30 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
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