ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 221686
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| Date: | Tuesday 5 June 1917 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Sopwith 1½ Strutter |
| Owner/operator: | 37 Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | A8305 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RFC Woodham Mortimer, 3 miles WSW of Maldon, Essex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Woodham Mortimer, Maldon, Essex |
| RFC Woodham Mortimer, Maldon, Essex | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
5.6.17: Sopwith 1½ Strutter A8305, 37 Squadron, RFC Woodham Mortimer. Written off (destroyed) when hit caravan while landing downwind, RFC Woodham Mortimer, Dengie peninsula about three miles west-south-west of Maldon, Essex. Pilot - 2nd Lt Roy Walter Mouritzen (Australian, aged 20) - was killed. According to the aircraft ccident record card for Sopwith 1½ Strutter A8305 (sse link #3):
"Court if Inquiry 87/acc/124
6/6/17
Flying accident; pilot killed. Machine crashed while landing. It was the opinion of the Court of Inquiry that the pilot was killed through inexperience, in that he landed down wind. He touch down 100 yards from a hut, and when he opened the throttle to rise, the machine banked, in order to miss a marquee, and collided with a caravan."
According to a biography of the pilot (see links #5 & #6):
"2nd Lieutenant Roy Walter MOURITZEN
Born (Walter Roy Mouritzen) in York – Western Australia in 1897.
Played ‘Australian’ Football – He played 1 game for the East Perth/Western Australian football team on the 1st August 1914, and is ‘Remembered’ in the ‘Western Australian League of War Casualties’.
Promotion – Supplement to the London Gazette on 8th March 1917 (page 2354) General List (R.F.C.)
“The under mentioned cadets to be temp. 2nd Lts (on prob) 27th Feb 1917”
Roy Walter Mouritzen’s name is on the list.
Died ‘Killed in Action’ on 5th June 1917. (aged 20) In a flying accident. 2nd Lieutenant Mouritzen is buried in the churchyard of St Mary and St Margaret, in Stow Maries, Essex
(From his Great Nephew - Richard Mouritzen) The youngest of 4 children of Danish parents, he was educated at Christian Brothers College Perth (Western Australia) where, in 1915, he was champion athlete and gymnast. He was also in their winning Head of the River rowing crew and 1st XVIII football team. He left for England in May 1916 and on arriving joined the Artists’ Rifles. Early the next year he gained his wings in the RFC.
The accident that resulted in his death was described in newspapers at the time: “Having gone up for a flight from a military aerodrome in Essex, he returned at dusk and, when close to the ground, collided with a contractor's travelling caravan, which had arrived during his absence. The result was that he fractured his spine and died two hours later.”
On 5th June 1917 he was the pilot of a 2 seat Sopwith 1½ Strutter A3805. Returning to the aerodrome he attempted a landing downwind 100 yards from a hut. He opened the throttle and rose but struck a caravan, causing the aircraft to crash. He received injuries from which he was to die 2 hours later. His last words were ‘Well boys, I have had bad luck, I hope you have better. Carry on."
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1917.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2757692/mouritzen,-/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/mouritzen-r.w.-roy-walter
4. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/3265831
5. https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/799922
6. https://www.facebook.com/117019345054734/photos/gm.1712579258999212/1005946566162003/?type=3
7. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2135363
8. Sunday Times (Perth, Western Australia: Sunday 22 July 1917 Page 3): https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/57984040
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Feb-2019 20:13 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 11-Feb-2019 13:06 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
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