ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 233006
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| Date: | Wednesday 22 October 1913 |
| Time: | 15:45 LT |
| Type: | Maurice Farman S.7 Longhorn |
| Owner/operator: | Royal Flying Corps (RFC) |
| Registration: | 224 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Risborough Field, Cheriton, between Folkestone and Shorncliffe, Kent -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Farnborough Airfield, Farnborough, Hampshire |
| Dover, Kent | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Captain C. Mellor of the Royal Flying Corps was flying a Maurice Farman Biplane (No.224) when it crashed between Folkestone and Shorncliffe on the 22nd October 1913. His passenger at the time was 2nd Lieutenant R.W. Gunter of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Nothing unusual so far - in those pioneering days many of the flimsy aircraft came to grief in one way or another. But this particular crash caused a bit of a stink at HQ as they tried to find out why the passenger had been on the aircraft in the first place. The official response was that he was practising observation at the time - a fine excuse that quickly led to more probing questions being asked, because Gunter had been diagnosed as having suffered permanent loss of use of his left eye beforehand. After some back-and-forth between the War Office and the R.F.C., a letter from the Commanding Officer of the R.F.C. to the War Office stated..
"Lieut. Gunter applied for permission to have a flight, and permission was given by the officer in charge, Captain Mellor, who considered that it would be for the good of the Service to do so. Requests for flights by officers are very frequently made. Owing to the numerous requests for flights in aeroplanes by Officers in the Aldershot and Southern Commands an order was issued to limit the number of applications which were made to O.C. Squadrons direct. Before these regulations regarding observation flights were issued, it was the custom for officers (especially Staff and R.A. Officers) to be given flights in W.D. aircraft for two reasons, viz:- either to see if they would become good observers, or with a view to finding out if they would like to take up flying. It would appear that, when flights can be given without detriment to the work of the R.F.C., it is on broad grounds desirable, with a view to improving materiel knowledge and co-operation between arms, to grant such permission whenever possible. In order that no possible doubt may exist in future as to whether such permission be given, I would request that a definite ruling on the matter may now be given."
According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald - Saturday 25 October 1913)
ARMY BIPLANE WRECKED.
SENSATION AT CHERITON.
AIRMAN’S NARROW ESCAPE.
There were exciting scenes at Cheriton on Wednesday afternoon, when Army biplane 224 was completely wrecked in a field near The Firs, the residence of Alderman J. Egerton Quested, J .P. Fortunately neither of the occupants, Captain C. Mellor, the pilot, and Second Lieutenant Gunter, both of the Royal Army Flying Corps, was seriously injured, although their condition necessitated their removal to the Royal Victoria Hospital. The machine was one of three which flew from Farnborough, Aldershot, to Dover on Saturday for exercises in the district. They passed over Folkestone, and one of them, piloted by Lieutenant H. A. Littleton landed near the golf links in the morning to obtain a further supply of petrol.
At about 3.45 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon two of the machines, biplanes of the Farman type, were sighted coming over the hills at the back of the golf links. They proceeded at a great height to Shorncliffe Camp, where for about twenty minutes they hovered about giving a splendid exhibition. The ill-fated 224, which was driven by a five cylinder stationary engine, was under perfect control, and executed the volplane, the spiral volplane, and other evolutions apparently with the greatest of ease. Both machines repeatedly passed through the clouds. After a time one biplane returned to Dover without alighting, but No. 224 descended in Risboro’ Field and Captain Mellor and Second Lieutenant Gunter took tea with the officers of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
After tea, the airmen again mounted the machine with the intention of returning to Dover. This time, however, the engine did not run nearly so well, and two attempts had to be made before the machine left the ground. When it did rise its progress was not at all satisfactory, and as Mr. Potter, (the superintendent of the Cottage Homes) an eye witness of the accident, stated, it was very "wobbly." It turned very abruptly and narrowly missed the telegraph wires of the railway, and made straight for the Cottage Homes. It appeared as though it would land on the asphalt playground adjoining the Cottage Homes. Perhaps the pilot saw what was before him; at any rate the machine suddenly turned to the right took a sudden dip and then fell like a stone for about feet on to a field by the Firs. At it came in contact with the earth there was a loud report of an explosion and the aeroplane burst into flames in its contact with the ground, the landing chassis was bent and twisted until it was unrecognisable, and the framework of the main planes were reduced to matchwood. The metal seats, in which the airmen were strapped were also considerably bent and the engine was almost shaken clear of the framework."
Sources:
1. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=1667.0
2. http://www.dover-kent.com/Bob-Hollingsbee/2002-11-07.html
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheriton,_Kent
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Feb-2020 03:28 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 17-Feb-2020 03:30 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 17-Feb-2020 03:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
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