stephen p nunn Posted 18 November Share Posted 18 November (edited) Does anyone please know anything extra about this pilot: William Quintus Newsom RICHARDSON Born Lincoln, Lincolnshire, July 1898. Attended Bramcote School, Scarborough. 2nd 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 by stephen p nunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 18 November Share Posted 18 November He went to Shrewsbury School and there is a published Roll of Service. Worth contacting the school archivist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 18 November Share Posted 18 November (edited) 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 by Matlock1418 edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 18 November Share Posted 18 November (edited) 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 by Matlock1418 typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 18 November Author Share Posted 18 November 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 2nd 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November Not sure if you've seen his RAF service record. Probably but here is the only page with detail, courtesy Findmypast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November 10 hours ago, stephen p nunn said: Posted as 2nd Lieutenant 37 (HD) Squadron Goldhanger on 5/10/1917. Record above suggests posted 30/9/17 on appointment as Flying Officer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November Thank you very much charlie962. The service record is really helpful. Best regards. Stephen (Maldon). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November He has an Army record, not digitised, at NatArchives: WO 339/113484 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November Trying to make out the place names - South Farnboro, Denham, Oxford? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November Just now, stephen p nunn said: Trying to make out the place names - South Farnboro, Denham, Oxford? Yes Farnboro as in Farnborough Hampshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November Thanks again charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November RAFWeb says Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November 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 2nd 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November 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..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November Just been to Maldon Cemetery to pay my respects....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November And here he is..........NOT FORGOTTEN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November But....what is special, is that, all these years on, we are still thinking of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November (edited) 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 by Matlock1418 edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen p nunn Posted 19 November Author Share Posted 19 November 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 19 November Share Posted 19 November (edited) 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 by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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