ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 208554
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| Date: | Thursday 17 August 1939 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Fairey Seal |
| Owner/operator: | 2 AOS RAF |
| Registration: | K3579 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Beal, 9 miles South of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Acklington, Northumberland |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Seal K3579, 2 Air Observers School, RAF Acklington: Written off (destroyed) 17/8/39 in a midair collision with Fairey Seal K4783 (also of 2 OAS RAF Acklington) during formation change, near Beal, Northumberland. One of the crew of two in Fairey Seal K3573 was killed; the crew of three in Fairey Seal K4783 survived, although one was injured.
Corporal John Prudhoe (aged 27) was killed when his parachute failed to open
Flight Lt James Mail Bodman baled out, and survived
On board Fairey Seal K4783 there were three crew members: Pilot Officer Patrick Chaloner Lindsey (pilot) injured, AC1 Alexander Armour and AC1 William Fletcher both unhurt. Seal K4783 made a successful emergency landing, with the pilot sustaining a broken leg.
According to the official Air Ministry announcement in "Flight" magazine (24 August 1939 page 181 - see link #6)
"FLYING ACCIDENTS
Corporal John Prudhoe lost his life as the result of a collision in the air which occurred near Berwick-on-Tweed between two aircraft from No.2 Air Observer School on August 17. Acting Flight Lieutenant James Mail Bodman, who was uninjured, was the pilot of one aircraft and Corporal Prudhoe was the only other occupant. Pilot Officer Patrick Chaloner Lindsay, the pilot of the second aircraft, was slightly injured and the other occupants, AC1 William Fletcher and AC1 Alexander Armour, were uninjured."
Note that the official announcement gives the crash location as "near Berwick upon Tweed" which is nine miles north of Beal, Northumberland. Additional: the following is from a contemporary newspaper report (Saturday 19 August 1939, Western Morning News):
"R.A.F. Formation Flight Crash
ONE KILLED
Corporal Leaps To His Death - Crashed near Beal.
A 27-years-old R.A.F. corporal, who was to have been married in December, was killed yesterday after two of four 'planes in formation flight near Beal, Northumberland, had collided in the air. He was Corpl. John Prudhoe, who leaped from one of the 'planes and was found dead near an unopened parachute. The pilot, Flt.-Lieut. James Mail Bodman, who also jumped parachute, was uninjured. The 'plane crashed in flames. Pilot-Off. Patrick Chaloner Lindsey, pilot of the second 'plane, the tail of which had been damaged in the collision, landed his machine. His leg was broken. The two other occupants of the 'plane, Aircraftmen William Fletcher and Alexander Armour were uninjured. Sqn Ldr. Horace James Leatham Hawkins (#29107) , who was in charge of the flight and in whose machine was Dr. Laurence Vincent McNabb (#70438 M.B., B.S) of Amble, medical officer for Acklington Aerodrome, landed to render assistance, but his plane was damaged, while the fourth 'plane in the flight piloted by Pilot-Officer Roberts (possibly P/O David Stewart Robertson #40141 of Calgary, Canada or A P/O Clarence Sydney Robson), flew to the aerodrome to report the accident."
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1976 page 25)
2. North Northumberland at War 1939–45 page 11 By Craig Armstrong, available on line at https://reader.paperc.com/books/north-northumberland-at-war-1939-45/838392/ht05/__root__
2. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939.htm
3. http://aircrewremembered.com/james-bodman.html
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?11290-James-Mail-Bodman-Iraq-and-Syria
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?16970-Air-Ministry-Communiques-Do-a-record-of-these-exist-anywhere
6. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939-1-%20-%200579.html?search=Berwick-on-Tweed
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Apr-2018 14:50 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 29-Nov-2018 08:51 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Nature, Operator] |
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