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Remembered Today:

Seeking information about an air accident Devon 1917


Ypres1915

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Looking through some RFC items, I came across this piece I've had for several years. I was hoping some members may be able to provide some information on the incident which led to the souveniring of this item. As best as I can make out the inscription says, "From an aeroplane which fell near the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth Devon 1917". The reverse has some AID information and what appears to be a name, A Nigel ?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ypres1915

 

 

678752_WingTip1.JPG.40b76d04d3418539dc2a6b6feb481b79.JPG

1836530467_WingTip2.JPG.c63362089a390856b67e1183c1868a29.JPG

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6 hours ago, Ypres1915 said:

Looking through some RFC items, I came across this piece I've had for several years. I was hoping some members may be able to provide some information on the incident which led to the souveniring of this item. As best as I can make out the inscription says, "From an aeroplane which fell near the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth Devon 1917". The reverse has some AID information and what appears to be a name, A Nigel ?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Ypres1915

 

 

678752_WingTip1.JPG.40b76d04d3418539dc2a6b6feb481b79.JPG

1836530467_WingTip2.JPG.c63362089a390856b67e1183c1868a29.JPG

 

The site below could perhaps refer to this incident.    Also added is a GWF post from 2016.

 

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/220808

 

 

Edited by pete-c
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Many thanks for the links. Very sad and tragic story. It amazes me the connections that can be made to these pieces with the help of others. I found this piece 30 years ago at an antique fair in Ontario Canada.

 

Thanks,

 

Ypres1915

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I recall that "one of my girls" died in an airplane accident. The pilot was trying to impress the lady and took her up on an unauthorised flight and crash landed. Perhaps the two Rileys were related and the pilot Riley did the same.

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Seems that I was right (courtesy :- https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=220808

 

 

18.1.17: Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b No.4899, 28 Squadron, RFC Fort Rowner, Gosport, Hampshire. Written off (destroyed) when hit trees on approach and crashed, Dartmouth. Passenger - Naval Cadet John Salusbury Riley (aged 15) killed. Pilot - Lt Roger Charles Bernard Riley - was injured. According to one published source (see link #4)

"18 January 1917 - Joyride Tragedy
An innocent joyride ended in disaster for Lieutenant Roger Charles Bernard Riley an instructor at the Gosport training school.

Lieutenant Riley had been invalided home after being shot down in his FE2b (5212) on 27 June 1916. His observer Lieutenant EH Bird was killed. After convalescence he took up as post as an instructor at the Gosport Training School in December 1916.

Today Lieutenant Riley flew to Dartmouth Naval College and took his younger brother, John Salusbury Riley a 15 year old naval cadet up for a spin in an FE2b (4899). The aircraft suffered some sort of malfunction and crashed in the grounds of the college. Roger was severely injured but his brother John was thrown out of the aircraft and killed.

A minor story perhaps, but it demonstrates the relatively lackadaisical approach to things in the RFC at the time where pilots were permitted to use aircraft as personal runarounds.

It also demonstrates a bit of mystery solving as there is obviously no record of John Salusbury Riley as a military casualty. He is however mentioned it the RFC casualty cards detailing the accident and in the aircraft record. Two separate groups attempted to identify him and a combination of coroner’s, parish and census records pointed to the fact that he was Roger’s younger brother.

Roger survived the war and lived until 14 September 1960. He named his first son, born 6 April 1920, John Salusbury."

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As in the links detailed in Post #2.

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