ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 220316
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| Date: | Monday 21 August 1916 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Airco (DeHavilland) D.H.1 |
| Owner/operator: | 19 (Reserve) Sqn RFC |
| Registration: | 4637 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Lowfield Heath, Surrey -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RFC Hounslow Heath, Hounslow, Middlesex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
21.9.16: Airco (DeHavilland) D.H.1 No.4637, 19 (Reserve) Squadron, RFC Hounslow Heath, Hounslow, Middlesex. Written off (damaged beyond repair) when overturned landing on soft ground in a stubble field, Lowfield Heath, Surrey. Pilot - Lt Donald Coker Beck (aged 20) - was killed. According to the aircraft record card for Airco (DeHavilland) DH.1 No.4637
"Court of Inquiry 87/8654
Details of the memorial plaque at St Michael and All Angels church, Lowfield Heath - now marooned in an industrial estate at Gatwick airport can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/164905/. There appears to be another dedicated to him at Chinor (https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/269639).
22/9/1916
Flying accident - landing on soft ground. Pilots safety belt was unfastened. The Court found that the accident was due to landing on soft ground and the aircraft overturned."
According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (October 12 1916 page 885 - see link #4)
"Fatal Accidents
Lieutenant DONALD BECK. R.F.A., attached R.F.C., reported killed, joined the Motor Cycle Corps (Territorials) on August 5th, 1914, and after a month obtained his commission in the Royal Field Artillery. In May, 1915, he went to Egypt, and thence to Salonica, and at the beginning of 1916 he joined the Royal Flying Corps as an Observer, in Egypt.
He came home in June, and passed the first part of his pilot's certificate with distinction, and was completing his flying courses when he met his death on September 21st. He was the only child of Commander O. L. Beck, R.N., and Mrs. Beck."
Sources:
1. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1916.htm
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/344185/beck,-donald-coker/
3. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/beck-d.c.-donald-coker
4. https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200889.html?search=%20Donald%20Coker%20Beck
5. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/268248
6. http://buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk/php_scripts/bksidget.php?id=1150
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Dec-2018 20:41 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 01-Jan-2019 13:03 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 20-Dec-2020 14:21 | Richard | Updated [Narrative] |
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