ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 242509
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| Date: | Saturday 1 December 1951 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: |  Fairey Firefly AS Mk 6 |
| Owner/operator: | 1840 Sqn FAA RN VR |
| Registration: | WH631 |
| MSN: | F.8754 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | High Trees School, Oldfield Road, Horse Hill, near Horley, Surrey -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Illegal Flight |
| Departure airport: | RNAS Ford, (HMS Peregrine) Yapton, West Sussex |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Firefly AS.6 WH631: Delivered to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy) at HMS Nuthatch, RNAS Anthorn RDU, Cumberland,3/5/1951. First issued for service to 1840 Squadron RNVR (Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) FAA RN at HMS Peregrine, RNAS Ford, Yapton, Arundel West Sussex in July 1951.
Written off (destroyed) 1/12/1951: Collided with trees in an unauthorised low level 'beat up' at High Trees School, Horse Hill, near Horley, Surrey. Aircraft broke apart, and the wreckage caught fire on impact with the ground. Both crew killed
Crew of Firefly WH631:
Lieutenant John E. Jameson RN (pilot) - killed on active service 1/12/1951
Lieutenant Roy E. Mumford RN (Observer) - killed on active service 1/12/1951
The two crew were "old boys" (former pupils) of the school, which explains the unauthorised low level aerobatic display over what was their former school. According to a local history article into the history of High Trees School 1922-1984 (see link #4)
"It was said that Miss Young found it extremely difficult to cope with all this and probably one of the final straws was the tragic crash in 1952" [sic] "of two of her former pupils. They came over in an aircraft from the Royal Naval Air Station at Ford in Sussex and it is believed demonstrated their flying ability over the School, during which the plane hit some trees and crashed below High Trees, killing both young men.
It is said that she found pieces of them scattered in the grounds. Shortly after this she died quite suddenly. She was buried in Sidlow Churchyard and her headstone reads:
'Ethel May Young, Born 31 July 1888, Died 2 November 1952, Founder Of High Trees School, Horsehill. She Loved to Teach and Taught to Love.'"
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard, Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.293)
2. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WH
3. https://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1951.htm
4. http://www.wadhurst.demon.co.uk/high-trees/HT%20main%20history-2.pdf
5. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/c/F147855
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Sep-2020 20:57 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 16-Sep-2020 20:58 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn] |
| 17-Sep-2020 19:36 | Allach | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator] |
| 29-Jun-2021 07:57 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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