Lt Charles Robert Chapman

[chrisharley9]

Does any Pal have any additional info on this chap please who died aged 19 whilst an instructor at Eastbourne Aerodrome; the Coroners Report shows a verdict of misadventure; crashed plane whilst stunting

His father is shown as CFTH Chapman in prison

Chris

[Terry Denham]

Killed while flyng Sopwith Camel serial C118 with 50 TDS, RAF. The aircraft dived into the ground from 150 feet.

[Terry Denham]

Here he is...

And a close up...

[chrisharley9]

Terry

my thanks - OK if I use the photos pleasee with full credit of course

Chris

[Terry Denham]

No problem.

[timhog]

Chris.

Do you have "A History of the Eastbourne Aviation Company" by McMahon & Partridge?

You will find something on all fatalities at RNAS/RAF Eastbourne in this book.

If you want it from me just say.

Tim.

[chrisharley9]

Tim

i would be very interested thanks

Chris

[timhog]

Chris.

A list of names from the Eastbourne book.

10 March 1915 Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant Arthur Gelston Shepherd RNAS.

30 June 1915 Flight Sub-Lt Preston Albert Watson.

18 Sept 1915 Flight Sub-Lt William Croucher.

10 Jan 1916 Flight Sub-Lt Gordon Ezra Duke & W.O Percival Victor Fraser.

17 March 1917 2 Lt David Dennys Fowler.

16 June 1917 Lt Rupert Holton Herd.

23 Oct 1917 Prob Flight Lt James Peter Crawford-Wood & Prob Observer Officer Kenneth Oxley.

28 Jan 1918 Ray O Garver.

21 March 1918 Prob Flight Officer Lewis Brown.

12 June 1918 Mr Frederick Walter Elstone.

12 June 1918 2Lt William Stanley Pullen.

17 July 1918 Lt Edward Moulton Parsons.

21 Aug 1918 Lt Charles Albert Manzetti.

22 Aug 1918 Flight Cadet Robert Kirkwood Galloway.

19 Aug 1918 Flight Cadet Philip George Dalton Winchester.

5 Sept 1918 Lt Reginald Horace Sanders & First Lt Eugenio da Silva Possolo.

5 Sept 1918 2 Lt William Rhodes Barnett.

13 Oct 1918 Lt Charles Robert Chapman.

10 Nov 1918 Pvt Hugh Hancock Hamill.

If you want the full info give me a shout.

Tim.

[chrisharley9]

Tim

will let you know later my thanks

Chris

[chrisharley9]

Tim

they all seem to be subject of a coroners reports so I would appreciate the info please

Chris

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

10 March 1915: Probationary Flight Sub-Lt Arthur Gelston Shepherd, RNAS, aged 21, of Boars Hill, Oxford, had taken his Pilot`s Certificate some eight months previously, having flown at Hendon, Eastchurch and Sheppey. He took off in a biplane from the seaplane sheds with the intention of flying to the aerodrome at St Antony`s. He experienced difficulties soon afterwards and crashed into the sea some 300 yards offshore, turning upside down in the process. The inquest was unable to determine whether the accident was due to engine trouble or to a misjudgement of his height above the sea. Shepherd was buried at Wootton St Peter Church, Berks.

Eastbourne Gazette, 17 March 1915.

Tim.

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

30 June 1915: Flight Sub-Lt Preston Albert Watson, of Dundee, aged 34, was an RNAS trainee pilot, based at Eastchurch. Flying a Caudron GIII (2366) from Eastchurch to Eastbourne, he crashed heavily from a height of 200 ft in a field near to the Cross-in-Hand Hotel, north of Eastbourne, due either to the engine exploding or to a wing collapsing. The jury decided that the cause of death was not ascertainable. His body was taken to Dundee for burial.

Eastbourne Chronicle 3 July 1915.

Tim.

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

18 Sept 1915: On the evening of 14 Sept, an aeroplane piloted by Flight Lt Hilton Jones with Flight Sub Lt William Croucher, RNAS, aged 19, as passenger, took off from the aerodrome and flew to Shoreham, where it remained overnight. Croucher, of Dulwich, a former civil servant at the Admiralty, had obtained his Pilot`s Certificate some ten weeks previously. The next day they took off and arrived at about 5.30 pm at Bignor Park fora rendezvous with an army unit. While approaching the intended landing area, the pilot realised that it was unsuitable and tried to abort the landing. In doing so he probably misjudged the climb and speed of his machine and the engine may not have pulled up quickly enough to clear the surrounding trees. The pilot was reported to have said that the engine had stopped at the time of impact. Flight Lt Hilton Jones was severely injured and hospitalised and his passenger, Flight Sub-Lt Croucher, died three days later as a result of extensive brain injuries. He was interred at Chichester Cemetery, with six mechanics from Eastbourne Aerodrome acting as bearers.

Sussex Daily News 22 Sept 1915.

Tim.

[chrisharley9]

Tim

excellent my thanks

Chris

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

10 Jan 1916: A Short S38 biplane (3148) flown by Probationary Flight Sub-Lt Gordon Ezra Duke, a 20-year-old Canadian from Toronto, with his instructor, Warrant Officer (second Grade) Percival Victor Fraser, a 30-year-old Australian from Queensland, took off from the aerodrome and soon started to fly irregularly. Their machine nose-dived from approximately 150 ft to crash near a brickfield at Hampden Park owned by Alderman Mark Martin, the local builder, killing both men. The cause of the accident was thought to be a wire which slipped off an elevator control pulley. The funeral of the two men took place at Ocklynge Cemetery three days later.

Eastbourne Gazette 12 and 19 Jan 1916.

Tim.

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

17 March 1917: 2nd Lt David Dennys Fowler 78 Sqn RFC, aged 20, who had been educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, died when his BE2c (7181) crashed near to the aerodrome. It was concluded that Fowler, who was an experienced pilot, had tried to turn in the air while the machine was too flat; in consequencethe machine had nose-dived and struck the ground. Awitness had found the aeroplane upside down on the ground in flames, with the deceased underneath. He was dead when rescuers were able to extricate him from the machine. Fowler`s body was taken to St Margaret`s Church, Rottingdean, for burial.

Eastbourne Chronicle 24 March 1917.

Tim.

[Terry Denham]

Chris

I'll post pics of the Sussex graves for your use when Tim has finished adding the details.

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

16 June 1917; An Avro 504A (A9774), piloted by Lt Henry Irving Newton, RFC, with Lt Rupert Holton Herd, Australian FC, aged 25, an Australian from Ringwood, Victoria, as passenger en route from Upavon, overshot the runway at Eastbourne. The pilot restarted the engine intending to fly round the airfield and make a second attempt to land. However, the engine did not pick up very well and the aircraft lost speed and nose-dived into the ground. Upon impact, the petrol tankburst and the petrol caught fire with flames 100 ft high. Lt Newton was able to scramble clear but Lt Herd was pinned beneath the wreckage and it was thought that he was killed by the impact. Later his body was taken from the Town Hall mortuary to Ocklynge Cemetery by an escort of six cavalrymen from the Command Depot off Victoria Drive.

Eastbourne Gazette 20 & 27 June 1917.

Tim.

[chrisharley9]

Terry

thanks very much

Chris

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

23 Oct 1917; Peobationary Flight Lt James Peter Crawford-Wood, with Probationary Observer Officer Kenneth Oxley, flying an Avro 504G (N5310) [some reports say a BE2c (9465)], from Eastchurch Flying School, died as a result of a crash near Eastbourne. Crawford-Wood`s body was removed to Alkerton, Oxon, for burial.

Eastbourne Gazette 31 Oct 1917.

Tim.

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

28 Jan 1918; Ray O Garver, a 26-year-old American cadet from 3 Training Sqn, flew a Sopwith Camel (B9282) from Shoreham to Eastbourne on Monday morning. An hour after landing, he began his return journey. A short distance after take-off his machine suddenly nose-dived into the ground near the Gas Works from a height of about 150 ft. The pilot was taken to the Military Hospital but died shortly after admission.

Eastbourne Gazette 30 Jan 1918.

Tim.

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

21 March 1918; Probationary Flight Officer Lewis Brown, aged 18, of Thornton-le-Fylde, was strapped into his aircraft on the runway waiting for his engine to be when a Sopwith Camel (D6496), descending from about 1000 ft, landed on his machine. It appeared that Flight Officer Brown was struck on the head by the propeller or undercarriage of the landing machine, whose pilot`s vision had been obstructed by the circle of the propeller of his machine. A verdict of accidental death was returned by the inquest jury, with no blame being attached to anyone. A few days later, Flight Officer Brown`s body was returned to his home town of Blackpool for burial.

Eastbourne Gazette 27 March 1918.

My bum is going to sleep so I will do the rest over the next 2 or 3 days.

Tim.

[rugby-137]

Hi Tim

Do you have any info on Private Hamill? who is buried at brookwood.

Regards

Phil Henry

[timhog]

Phil.

Yes he is last on the list!

Tim.

[timhog]

Chris.

From the book.

12 June 1918; Mr Frederick Walter Elstone, aged 38, a married man with four children, employed as a stockman-carter, of Hamland Farm, Huggetts Lane, Willingdon, was operating a mowing machine drawn by two horses at the aerodrome. He was killed when struck on the head by the propeller of an ascending aircraft flown by a Brazilian naval trainee pilot, 2 Lt Olavo de Araujo. The inquest jury returned a verdict of accidental death but found that the pilot had not taken sufficient care to ensure that his path was clear for take-off. Mr Elstone`s funeral took place at Willingdon Parish Church a few days later.

Some months later, in March 1919, Mrs Elstone, widow of the deceased, was awarded the sum of £280 under the Workmen`s Compensation Act, taking into account the deceased`s average weekky wage of something over £1/16s, per week.

Eastbourne Gazette 19 June 1918 and Eastbourne Chronicle 22 March 1919.

Tim.