ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 221586
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| Date: | Tuesday 22 May 1917 |
| Time: | 18:00 LT |
| Type: | Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 |
| Owner/operator: | 78 (Home Defence) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | 6581 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Marine Park, Aldrington Recreation Ground, Hove, East Sussex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Hove, East Sussex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
22.5.17: Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 No. 6581, 78 (Home Defence) Squadron, RFC Hove. Written off (destroyed) in a mid air collision with Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12a A602 (also of 78 Squadron, RFC Hove). Pilot of B.E.12 No.6581 - 2nd Lt Cyril Frederick Crapp (aged 22) - was killed. The pilot of B.E.12 A602 - 2nd Lt William John Douglas Vince (aged 22) - was also killed. According to the aircraft accident record card for B.E.12 No.6581 (see link #3):
"Court of Inquiry 87/accd/114
24/5/17
Flying accident. Collision with 2nd Lt W.J.D.Vince in a B.E.12. It was the opinion of the Court of Inquiry that the accident was caused by the machine colliding, owing probably to the pilots not being able to see each other, partly due to the fact that they were flying into the setting sun, and partly due to their field of view being limited by the intervening planes of their machines."
According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (May 31, 1917 page 545 - see link #4)
"Fatal Accidents
A verdict of "accidental death" was returned, on May 24th, at Hove, at the inquest on 2nd Lieut. W. J. D. Vince and 2nd Lieut. C. S. Crapp, R.F.C., whose machines collided and fell to the ground while flying over the town on May 22nd. The leader of the squadron of four said they were flying in diamond formation at a height of 4,500 ft. He gave the order for the formation to break up, and in carrying this out 2nd Lt Crapp came into collision with 2nd Lt Vince. Neither could see the other owing to the sun. Asked if there was not some unnecessary danger in mancanvring over a town like that the officer replied, 'No, not really. This was a most unlucky accident'"
Also, according to a published history of St Leonard's Churchyard, Aldrington, Hove, Sussex (see link #5), and a report in the Malvern News for 26 May 1917:
"2nd Lieutenant Cyril Frederick Crapp had only joined up in July 1916 and was killed on 22 May 1917 in an aviation accident. Conditions were clear and bright when four aeroplanes were spotted high in the sky over Portslade. Suddenly, two of the planes collided, and plummeted to the earth, one ending up in Aldrington Recreation Ground and the other in the sands opposite Hove Seaside Villas. Both pilots of the Royal Flying Corps were killed, the other being 2nd Lieutenant William John Douglas Vince. The engine of Crapp’s machine, which fell at Aldrington was embedded in the ground. Both aeroplanes were completely wrecked and the pilots were dead when extricated. A crowd of several thousand quickly congregated near the place where the machines fell.
Lieut Crapp's funeral took place at Aldrington. A large crowd turned up to watch, and his coffin was borne by Sergeants of the Royal Flying Corps. In the funeral procession were detachments of his Squadron and the Royal Naval Air Service Naval Patrol, Newhaven. Mourners included his mother and father, Mr and Mrs Crapp, Mr W Crapp (his brother) and his CO Major J C Halahan 78th (Home Defence) Sqn RFC.
Crapp’s grave is to be found near the south west boundary wall, and for many years a piece of wreckage from the plane rested on top of his grave."
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1917.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/659944/crapp,-cyril-frederick/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/crapp-c.f.-cyril-frederick
4. Flight magazine (May 31, 1917 page 545): https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1917/1917%20-%200545.html?search=Cyril%20Frederick%20Crapp
5. http://hovehistory.blogspot.com/2018/04/st-leonards-churchyard-aldrington-hove.html
6. https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/170306-no-78-squadron-rfc-raf/
7. http://www.rememberthefallen.co.uk/casualty/crapp-cyril-frederick-2/
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137085889/cyril-frederick-crapp
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Feb-2019 22:50 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 05-Feb-2019 22:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 06-Feb-2019 16:27 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
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