William Quintus Newsom RICHARDSON RFC

[stephen p nunn]

Does anyone please know anything extra about this pilot:

William Quintus Newsom RICHARDSON

Born Lincoln, Lincolnshire, July 1898.

Attended Bramcote School, Scarborough.

2^nd Lieutenant RFC

Posted to 37 (HD) Squadron at Flight Station Goldhanger on 5/10/1917.

Saturday 6/10/17 (4pm) stalled and nose dived in BE2e (6820). 

Aircraft caught fire and pilot killed (aged 19).

Buried Maldon Cemetery.

Thank you.

Stephen (Maldon)

 

 

Edited 18 November , 2023 by stephen p nunn

[charlie962]

He went to Shrewsbury School and there is a published Roll of Service.

Worth contacting the school archivist?

[Matlock1418]

2 hours ago, stephen p nunn said:

William Quintus Newsom RICHARDSON

Commissioned: GENERAL LIST (R.F.C.) ... 19 July 1917 ... William Quintus Newsum RICHARDSON https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30221/supplement/8098

From the newspaper it looks like his cousin was a NEWSUM

Death Registration: RICHARDSON, WILLIAM  QUINTUS NEWSUM     19  [Age at Death in years] GRO Reference: 1917  D Quarter in MALDON  Volume 04A  Page 689

M

Edit: Birth registration RICHARDSON, WILLIAM  QUINTUS NEWSUM   NEWSUM  [Mother's maiden surname] GRO Reference: 1898  S Quarter in LINCOLN  Volume 07A  Page 522

Rather looks like his Casualty Card at RAF Museum StoryVault is as you have listed third forename as 'Newsom' https://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/richardson-w.q.n.-william-quintus-newsom

and I note CWGC currently also use the 'Newsom' third forename https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2757662/william-quintus-newsom-richardson

plus MIC uses 'Newson'                                                                                                     

Edited 18 November , 2023 by Matlock1418
edit

[Matlock1418]

This rather looks like his parents' marriage registration, from FreeBMD

Surname	First name(s)		District	Vol	Page
Marriages Jun 1892   (>99%)
NEWSUM	Edith Jane		Lincoln	7a	1103
RICHARDSON	William Smith		Lincoln	7a	1103

M

Edit: Mother's birth registration:  Births Jun 1864  NEWSUM Edith Jane  Lincoln 7a 450

Edited 19 November , 2023 by Matlock1418
typo

[stephen p nunn]

Thank you very much charlie962 and Matlock1418. So, thanks to you, this is the latest on William:

William Quintus Newsum RICHARDSON

Born Lincoln, Lincolnshire, July 1898.

Son of William Smith Richardson and Edith Jane (née Newsum).

Attended Bramcote School, Scarborough and Shrewsbury School.

Commissioned RFC 19/7/1917.

Posted as 2^nd Lieutenant 37 (HD) Squadron Goldhanger on 5/10/1917.

Saturday 6/10/17 (4pm) stalled and nose dived in BE2e (6820).

Aircraft caught fire and pilot killed (aged 19).

Buried Maldon Cemetery.

 

[charlie962]

Not sure if you've seen his RAF service record. Probably but here is the only page with detail, courtesy Findmypast

[charlie962]

10 hours ago, stephen p nunn said:

Posted as 2^nd Lieutenant 37 (HD) Squadron Goldhanger on 5/10/1917.

Record above suggests posted 30/9/17 on appointment as Flying Officer?

[stephen p nunn]

Thank you very much charlie962. The service record is really helpful.

Best regards.

Stephen (Maldon).

[charlie962]

He has an Army record, not digitised, at NatArchives:

WO 339/113484

[stephen p nunn]

Trying to make out the place names - South Farnboro, Denham, Oxford?

[charlie962]

Just now, stephen p nunn said:

Trying to make out the place names - South Farnboro, Denham, Oxford?

Yes Farnboro as in Farnborough Hampshire 

[stephen p nunn]

Thanks again charlie962

[charlie962]

RAFWeb says

[stephen p nunn]

So thanks to charlie962, here is the latest version:

 

William Quintus Newsum RICHARDSON

 

Born Lincoln, Lincolnshire, July 1898.

Son of William Smith Richardson and Edith Jane (née Newsum).

Attended Bramcote School, Scarborough and Shrewsbury School.

 

Joined RFC as a Cadet 4/4/1917 (Farnborough, Hampshire).

Posted to Denham (Bucks) 18/4/1917.

Posted to Oxford 15/6/1917.

Commissioned Temporary 2^nd Lieutenant (on probation) 19/7/1917.

To 200 (Training) Squadron (Retford, Notts.) 20/7/1917.

Posted as Flying Officer to 37 (HD) Squadron Goldhanger (Essex) on 30/9/1917.

 

Saturday 6/10/17 (4pm) during practice flight stalled and nose dived (side-slipped) in BE2e (6820).

Aircraft caught fire and pilot killed (aged 19).

 

Buried Maldon Cemetery.

 

Mother, Mrs. Richardson, living at White Cottage, Bradfield, Berkshire.

 

 

 

[stephen p nunn]

charlie962 - here is Goldhanger aerodrome site from the air today.....

And this is the original layout (the bend is the one in the aerial shot middle right.....

[stephen p nunn]

Just been to Maldon Cemetery to pay my respects.......

[stephen p nunn]

And here he is..........NOT FORGOTTEN.

[charlie962]

R.i.P.

An awful lot of young pilots never made it to France, lost in training accidents almost always involving a stall with insufficient height to recover.

[stephen p nunn]

1 minute ago, charlie962 said:

R.i.P.

An awful lot of young pilots never made it to France, lost in training accidents almost always involving a stall with insufficient height to recover.

That would seem the case here charlie962. Looks like William had an absolute maximum of 6 months training. The incident is described variously as a "side slip" and "stall", but at a low height and then a "nose dive", resulting in a crash and fire. So, was that then; not enough power and nose up (on T/O?). S.

[charlie962]

A turn too tight, not enough bank, not enough power. The inner wing going so much slower than the outer stalls and that's it.

[stephen p nunn]

2 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

A turn too tight, not enough bank, not enough power. The inner wing going so much slower than the outer stalls and that's it.

So tragic. So young. 

[stephen p nunn]

But....what is special, is that, all these years on, we are still thinking of him.

[Matlock1418]

23 minutes ago, stephen p nunn said:

That would seem the case here charlie962. Looks like William had an absolute maximum of 6 months training. The incident is described variously as a "side slip" and "stall", but at a low height and then a "nose dive", resulting in a crash and fire. So, was that then; not enough power and nose up (on T/O?). S.

A side slip [inward] is something different and can be used to to good effect to deliberately lose height so long as sufficient speed to enable recovery [Certain famous Supermarine fighters later used it as a good approach for landing due to long nose - but wrong era and probably better no more said about that!].  Unintentioned and it can be catastrophic.

High angle of attack [nose too high] and low speed equals a stall for both wings - to get out you have to get your speed up or you can mush in or go into a full nose down stall and/or possibly a spin. If you have the height it is probably put nose down and power on to gain speed.  However at low altitude the ground may conspire against recovery, especially in the aircraft of the day and with inexperienced pilots who could tend to try to pull the nose up and further deepen the stall.

T/O and landing are prime times for caution but could occur at any time.  Loss of power on T/O and it could have been better to force land ahead but inexperience often lead to trying to go round for a landing and then into a stall & spin

18 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

A turn too tight, not enough bank, not enough power. The inner wing going so much slower than the outer stalls and that's it.

Actually not enough bank causes skids [outward] yet all probably more likely to induce a single wing stall and spin - which could end in a nose dive and at low altitude the result is, well as what seems to have happened, not likely to be good.

But we really are talking sematics now.

Whatever way - a sad outcome.  Its very sobering to think that more than 50% of flying casualties came from training accidents

M

Edited 19 November , 2023 by Matlock1418
edit

[stephen p nunn]

Amazing insight M. I have been flying in old stuff since the 70s (as a young boy, see pic) and later, even over Stow and Goldhanger, but can't imagine what it must have been like in the early days of flight, let alone aerial combat. NOT FORGOTTEN. S.

[Matlock1418]

7 minutes ago, stephen p nunn said:

Amazing insight M. I have been flying in old stuff since the 70s (as a young boy, see pic) and later, even over Stow and Goldhanger, but can't imagine what it must have been like in the early days of flight, let alone aerial combat.

Couldn't agree more - hard enough and too busy just trying to fly straight & level [actually the worst thing you could do in combat] and have balanced turns = I know how hard - in peacetime in a Tiger Moth!

Really great photo - 'gads! We might have shared the same airspace but for us seemingly being at different ends of the country!!   You'll be pleased to know I am now grounded!! 

M

Edited 19 November , 2023 by Matlock1418