Memorial Plaque

[Bilco]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/W935LL2.jpg[/img]

[url=https://imgur.com/W935LL2][img]http://i.imgur.com/W935LL2.jpg[/img][/url]

I found this memorial plaque in a beautiful little Arts and Crafts church at Brithdir, near Dolgellau, last week. Lieutenant Owen was not quite 19 years old when he was killed - does any member know the circumstances of his death? Possibly a training accident?

Bill

 

 

Edited 31 May , 2023 by Bilco

[PhilB]

[Tawhiri]

Further details of his accident can be found on the two casualty cards that were generated by his accident, courtesy of the RAF Museum Storyvault. Interestingly both cards contain a summary of the number of hours he had flown, both solo and dual, up to the date of the accident, which was less than 20 hours in total. The cards suggest the initial cause of the accident was an incorrect mixture setting for the engine, before he made a flat turn and stalled the aircraft. The resulting fire on the ground was caused by the fact that he had failed to switch the magnetos providing the spark to fire the engine cylinders off before impact. Both cards are on the same page, next to each other, so either link will get you to both of them.

https://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/owen-h.e.m.-herbert-ernest-malcolm

https://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/owen-h.e.m

Edited 1 June , 2023 by Tawhiri

[Bilco]

Many thanks PhilB and Tawhiri!

20 hours total flying and onto Avro 504s is a recipe for accidents - but the pressures to turn out more pilots were extreme, especially in 1917.

Bill