In a week when we learn that the RAF have lost three aircrew its sobering to realise that it is exactly 100 years since the first British military fatal flying accident.
Because I live locally I’ve passed the memorial at Airman’s Cross many times
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without thinking of where Loraine or Wilson were buried. Having been told that Staff Sergeant Wilson was buried in Andover Parish church yard I went looking and found this wonderful headstone.
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Does anyone know where Captain Loraine was laid to rest?
By: adrian_gray - 6th July 2012 at 21:23
You are quite correct – and the memorial records it as being a Tuesday.
Adrian
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th July 2012 at 21:16
Hamilton and Wyness-Stuart’s accident was on 6th September.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/frank.cooke/the_aviators.htm
Hotchkiss and Bettingtons crash at Wolvercote was 10th September, I believe
By: adrian_gray - 6th July 2012 at 20:57
I believe that the Wolvercote crash, which I think was September 12th*, was the final monoplane accident before the ban. Presumably the Deperdussin accident was the one preceding?
Adrian
*too idle to go look… sorry!
By: Arabella-Cox - 6th July 2012 at 20:20
The Public Safety and Accidents Investigation Committee of the RAeC concluded that the cause of Hamilton and Wyness-Stuarts accident “was due to the breakage of the outer wires supporting the left wing by a derangement of the cabane whilst in flight, caused either by: a) the fouling of the cowl by a valve rocker owing to the fracture of a valve tappet, or b) the partial failure or breakage of the propeller which, throwing the rotating system out of balance, caused severe racking stress and strained the attachments of the engine to such an extent that they ultimately gave way and the engine shifted. The engine attachments were too light for the engine.”
The aircraft had indeed taken part in the Military Aeroplane Competiton on Salisbury Plain and had won second prize.
By: chriscilla - 6th July 2012 at 20:06
Early crashes
This thread reminded me of a photograph I have of a memorial by the side of the road between Willian and Hitchin. When I originally made enquiries about it it emerged that the aircraft was a Deperdussin 2 seater monoplane which suffered structural failure possibly when a part flew off the rotary engine and severed a flying wire. The two crew were experienced pilots taking part in the 1912 manoeuvres but the literature suggests that at this date there was a monoplane ban in force. . . .
By: adrian_gray - 5th July 2012 at 18:53
I suspect that the apparently hasty removal of the memorial has a lot to do with the fact that various bodies have been trying to sort the presentation of Stonehenge (for those who haven’t been, it’s currently a sort of glorified traffic island next to a car park) for about twenty years. I suspect there may have been an element of “Thank God for agreement, let’s just go…” and the airman’s anniversary was overlooked.
I did start trying to put together some form of commemoration for the Wolvercote crash later that year, but realised very quickly that with the issues I’m currently having it was a sure-fire trip to the local Secure Unit. Sorry gents, you’ll just have to make do with a wreath…
Adrian
By: AirportsEd - 5th July 2012 at 18:39
Hi aeronut.
Please check you PMs.
By: Arabella-Cox - 5th July 2012 at 14:51
Thanks for the replies chaps – it looks like I might have to schedule a trip to Suffolk sometime soon (it’ll be an excuse to revisit the museum at Flixton).
The controls on the Nieuport G IV were not the conventional arrangement, instead of operating the rudder the foot pedels were responsible for the wing warp, whilst the rudder was operated by the sideways movement of the stick. I suppose the standard co-ordinated stick and rudder input would still achieve the same effect as ‘conventional’ controls. That said the report of the accident would indicate that Captain Loraine hadn’t balanced the turn which makes you wonder (with 100 years of hindsight) if he’d quite mastered the control arrangement.
By: Lyffe - 5th July 2012 at 13:12
There’s a photo of Loraine and report of the accident here:
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1912/1912%20-%200634.html?search=Loraine
Also a photo of the dedication of Airman’s Cross here:
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1913/1913%20-%200775.html?search=Loraine
By: Pondskater - 4th July 2012 at 22:43
Just found this document linked from Wikipedia:
See p108 – Loraine is buried at Bramford Church, Bramford near Ispwich, his home. Interesting and very detailed bit of research.
By: Pondskater - 4th July 2012 at 22:33
I don’t know where Capt Loraine is laid to rest but it seems the ‘Airmen’s Cross’ is no longer near the scene of the crash. It was moved into storage as part of the building of the new Stonehenge visitor centre and will return as part of the project.
In my view it is somewhat insensitive that they did not wait a couple of weeks until after the centenary.
I was down there recently and went past the other memorial, at the edge of Fargo Wood.
‘In memory of Major Alexander William Hewetson, 66 Batteryy Royal Field Artillery, who was killed whilst flying on the 17 July 1913 near this spot’
AllanK
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July 4, 2012 at 9:03 pm