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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Lt F M C Houghton, killed 6th May 1918


churton

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Hello chaps, i was wondering if anyone can help with details regarding the death of Lt Frank Magens Caulfield Houghton, who died on the 6th May 1918. CWGC does not record a unit, so i was hoping that someone might be able to help?

Many thanks

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Lt F M C Houghton (formerly Shropshire Light Infantry and Army Cyclist Corps) of the Wireless Experimental Establishment, at Biggin Hill, was killed in an accident when Sopwith Camel B6303 spun into the ground from a low altitude on 6 May 1918. B6303 had been used as the receiving aircraft for wireless transmissions from Camel C1614 in March 1918.

I hope that this is useful.

Gareth

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  • 6 months later...
Guest Amanda Houghton
Hello chaps, i was wondering if anyone can help with details regarding the death of Lt Frank Magens Caulfield Houghton, who died on the 6th May 1918. CWGC does not record a unit, so i was hoping that someone might be able to help?

Many thanks

Hello, I quite by chance came upon your question and was very surprised. You see, Frank Magens Caulfeild Houghton was my uncle, although of course I had never met him. His brother, John Arden Caulfeild Houghton (Wing Commander) was my father (who died in 1997), who used to talk often about his older brother. If you would like any more information about him, please feel free to e-mail me at my e-mail address : amanda.nusbaumer@club-internet.fr I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Amanda Nusbaumer (née Houghton)

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From The Times:

The Times, Tuesday, May 28, 1918

FALLEN OFFICERS

LIEUTENANT FRANK MAGENS CAULFIELD HOUGHTON,

R.A.F., who was accidentally killed while flying

on May 6, was the eldest son of Mr. Frank Edwin

Caulfield Houghton, of the Old Hall, Dorrington,

Shrewsbury, was born in 1895, and was educated at

Magdalen College School, Oxford, and Denstone

College, Staffs. Leaving school on August 1, 1914,

he received his first commission in the Shropshire

Light Infantry the following September, afterwards

transferring to the Army Cyclists Corps, and in May,

1916, he became an observer in the R.A.F., in which

force he served continuously for 18 months in France,

obtaining his wings in 1917. He was the originator

and promoter of the All-Khaki motor-cycle race

meetings at Brooklands in 1915. His office com-

manding writes:- "He was one of my best pilots,

and it is a very real loss and sorrow to me to lose him

like this. He was a very popular officer and one and

all feel his loss."

regards,

Martin

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  • 6 years later...

I think this may also be the same person who was instrumental in the organisation of two Services Motorcycle events that took place at Brooklands Race Track In Surrey in Aug and Sept 1915. I came upon his name whilst researching The History of Military Motorcycling. We have also identified him in photographs held in Brooklands Museum Library. He rode a Rudge motorcycle with a huge searchlight lamp mounted on the handlebars. At this time he was attached to the25th Div. Cyclist

Company

post-98848-0-01510000-1420654493_thumb.j

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  • 9 months later...

We recently commemorated the 1915 Services meetings (organised by Houghton) at Brooklands Museum and I am very keen to find out more about him and his current relations so that I can record his biography in the Brooklands Museum. I would also like to try and get a permanent memorial to him at the museum.

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I'm pretty certain I have a newspaper article which mentions racing of some sort. I'll dig it out tomorrow, when I'm home.

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Wellington Journal & Shrewsbury News (01/06/1918):

Lieut. Frank Magens Caulfield Houghton, R.A.F., who was accidentally killed while flying, was eldest son of Mr. F.E.C. Houghton, Old Hall, Dorrington, and was born in 1895. He was educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford, and Denstone College. He received his first commission in Shrops L.I. in Sept., 1914, afterwards transferring to Army Cyclist Corps, a and in May, 1916, became an observer in Royal Air Force, and served continuously for 18 months in France, obtaining his “wings” in 1917. He was the originator and promoter of the All-Khaki motorcycle race meeting at Brookslands in 1915. His officer writes: “He was one of my best pilots, and it is a very real lose and sorrow me to lose him like this. He was a very popular officer, and one and all feel his loss.

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  • 3 years later...
On 9/11/2007 at 9:14 AM, Dolphin said:

Lt F M C Houghton (formerly Shropshire Light Infantry and Army Cyclist Corps) of the Wireless Experimental Establishment, at Biggin Hill, was killed in an accident when Sopwith Camel B6303 spun into the ground from a low altitude on 6 May 1918. B6303 had been used as the receiving aircraft for wireless transmissions from Camel C1614 in March 1918.

I hope that this is useful.

Gareth

I am carrying out some more detailed research into Frank and I was wondering where your above reference came from as I would like to reference it.

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It seems a bit harsh that the CWGC records list Lt F M C Houghton as Not War Related, when he appears to have been carrying out vital experiments for air to air wireless communication.

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4 hours ago, old_timer said:

I am carrying out some more detailed research into Frank and I was wondering where your above reference came from as I would like to reference it.

The information about the accident came from The Camel File by Ray Sturtivant and Gortdon Page; ISBN 0 85130 212 2.

 

I hope this helps

 

Gareth

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  • 7 months later...

I am Frank Houghton’s neice. My father was his younger brother. My father always told me that his brother sadly died while flying upside down in his Sopwith Camel. Very sad accident. My father was 9 yrs old at the time. I am sure I have photos of Frank during the war if of interest to anyone. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 17:49, old_timer said:

It seems a bit harsh that the CWGC records list Lt F M C Houghton as Not War Related, when he appears to have been carrying out vital experiments for air to air wireless communication.

Was he?

I ask because somewhere on the web there is a Roll of Honour for British test pilots killed while testing and Houghton is on it.

Was he doing a test at the time or was he just on an non-essential flight.? There`s a suggestion here he was just stunt flying , not testing.

Just because he was in an "experimental " unit it doesn't follow that he was actually testing on his last flight.

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  • 4 years later...

He’s honoured on the 1918 memorial tablet in the chapel at Denstone College, Staffordshire. I often think of the people behind the names and am glad that this Forum keeps their memories alive. 
 

Every year, during the Remembrance service, the names of the Denstone fallen are read out as the congregation processes to the Quad, beneath falling poppy petals, to place our individual cross before our House. I’m not sure to which House Frank Houghton belonged.

IMG_4102.jpeg

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