ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 219295
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| Date: | Thursday 22 June 1916 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Martinsyde S.1 |
| Owner/operator: | 11 (Reserve) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | 696 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near RFC Northolt, West Ruislip, Middlesex -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Northolt, West Ruislip, Middlesex |
| RFC Northolt, West Ruislip, Middlesex | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
22.6.16: Martinsyde S.1 No. 696, 11 (Reserve) Squadron, RFC Northolt. Written off (destroyed) when Spun into the ground from 3,000 feet, on a solo training flight "in the London area". The pilot - 2nd Lt George Edmond Vernon Aimer (New Zealander, aged 30) - died later in the day at the RFC Hospital in Bryanston Square, London. At the inquest on Flight Lieutenant Aimer, the evidence showed that the deceased's machine suddenly swerved, wobbled, and then crashed vertically to earth. A verdict of accidental death was returned. He was 30 years old.
Note that, due to wartime censorship restrictions, the exact location of the crash was not mentioned in contemporary reports. Most simply describe the crash location as "near London". Circumstantial evidence - the fact that the aircraft (and 11 Squadron, RFC) were based at Northolt, the fact that he was taken to a hospital in Bryanston Square, London, and the fact that 2nd Lt George Aimer was buried at Ruislip (St Martin) Churchyard Extension, Middlesex would indicate a crash in the area of North West London, near RFC Northolt.
The following contemporary newspaper report ("New Zealand Herald" 25 June 1916) is a biography of the deceased pilot...
"AN AIRMAN'S DEATH.
LIEUT. G. V. AIMER.
A POPULAR AUCKLANDER.
Lieutenant George Vernon Aimer, a member of the Royal Flying Corps, who was accidentally killed whilst flying near London on June 22, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Aimer, of St. Stephen’s Avenue, Parnell. He was born in Hokianga in 1886, and was educated in Auckland. For a time he was employed in the Government Forestry Department at Rotorua, subsequently taking a position in Fiji. Shortly after returning to Auckland, in 1910, he entered the service of the Bank of New Zealand as correspondence clerk, a position he held for about five years. In August of last year he obtained extended leave of absence, and proceeded to England for health reasons. After a short time in hospital he offered his services to the War Office, but they were not accepted, owing to the state of his health. Lieutenant Aimer then studied aviation, and after qualifying for his pilot's certificate, was appointed an instructor at the London Provincial Aviation Co.'s School. Later he again offered his services to the military authorities, and was given a commission in the Royal Flying Corps. Since then he had been through a course of instruction in army work at Oxford, and it is believed was receiving further training at one of the War Office's aerodromes when he met with the unfortunate accident which resulted in his death. When in Auckland the late lieutenant was very popular in athletic circles, and had at different times, over a period of eight years, been a member of the St. George's Rowing Club, part of which time he was captain. A brother, Trooper Alexander Goven Aimer left for the front with the thirteenth reinforcements."
According to a hand-written entry on the aircraft record card for Martinsyde S.1 No.696:
"Court of Inquiry: Cause [of accident] - pilot permitting machine, while on a flight, to nose dive from which he was unable to recover. Machine in good flying order at the time of accident"
Source 9 gives date of accident as 20 June 1916 and cause as "Nosedive on turn from 500 ft".
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/388218/aimer,-george-edmond-vernon/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/7000263598-aimer-g.v.-george-vernon
4. http://www.remueraheritage.org.nz/people/ww1-george-edmond-vernon-aimer
5. Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916 http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19160701.2.68
6. http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C35278
7. https://sites.google.com/site/avondaleworldwar1/home/the-list/aimer-george-edmund-vernon
8. https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/george-edmond-vernon-aimer
9. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/rfc/files/_cascards.tx
.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Dec-2018 20:34 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 11-Dec-2018 20:47 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source] |
| 15-Dec-2018 17:31 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 12-Mar-2021 18:58 | Castleace | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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