Crash of a DH10 aircraft from Martlesham Heath, 1921
29.2.2016
I am creating this page to post a short report on a fatal accident involving an Airco DH10 aircraft being flown from RAF Martlesham Heath by Flying Officer Harold Gardner on 10 March 1921. I should be grateful to hear from anyone who might have further information.
Laurence Garey, l.garey@gmail.com
The initial reports
A very succinct report records:
10.3.21 D.H.10 F8423, Aeroplane Experimental Establishment. Spun and crashed on test flight, Hasketon, Suffolk. Fg Off Harold William Gardner (27) killed
http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1925.htm
but a little more detail is given by the Casualty Card at the RAF Museum.
http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/gardner-h.w.-harold-william
which confirms the unit as the Aero Experimental Establishment, and the date and time as 10.3.21 at 11hrs. There is a link to a Secret file S.15072, but if we follow a “P.T.O.” in green ink, on the reverse we read:
Purpose of Flight. Practice flight on type of machine new to Pilot.
Finding of Court of Inquiry. The Aeroplane stalled after coming out of a left handed spin: there not being sufficient height for the Pilot to get control again. There is no evidence to show why the Aeroplane got into a spin.
The press
I found two newspaper reports, one from the Western Times of Exeter, dated 12.3.1921
the other from the Framlingham Weekly News, also 12.3.1921
The aircraft
I searched for more details of the aircraft and found a photograph of the actual DH10 (serial F8423) taken at Martlesham Heath in 1921 while under test and evaluation. The gentleman on the left is the father of the poster of this picture, Ian Savage.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175063&page=2
It must have been taken just before the crash, and shows that this is a DH10A (RAF name Amiens IIIA), with its Liberty engines set directly on the lower wing, rather than being spaced between the wings as on earlier DH10s. Maybe this was why it was being tested at the experimental establishment at Martlesham, as a relative newcomer to RAF service.
After I contacted Ian Savage he kindly sent me copies of two photographs of the wrecked aircraft.
The pilot
Harold William Gardner was born on 11 January 1894 in London. He trained as a jeweller’s apprentice, and was employed in Croydon. His military career began as a Private in the London Scottish Regiment, before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) in 1917. He was with 1 Officer Cadet Wing at St Leonards in May 1917 and 2 School of Military Aeronautics at Oxford in June. In July he was at 98 Depot Squadron at Rochford and was Gazetted Second Lieutenant in August, as a “flying officer”. He would have graduated from elementary flight tuition around this time, before commencing advanced training as a night bomber pilot.
He received the Royal Aero Club’s Aviator’s Certificate number 6515 dated 29 October 1917, with which appeared his photograph.
In February 1918 he was posted to the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), first at 1 Aeroplane Supply Depot at Saint-Omer in northern France, then with 58 Squadron at Clairmarais flying the FE.2b fighter/bomber. In March he moved to Auchel. In a census in April 1918 he is seen to have flown the DH.1, FE.2b and FE.2d.
After another move to Fauquembergues in April, Harold returned to England as a night flying pilot on the FE.2b at 4 Wing, Netheravon. He was with 12 Training Depot Station (TDS) at Netheravon in October, and was promoted to Lieutenant in November.
He returned to 58 Squadron in April 1919 flying the Handley-Page O/400 bomber. They became part of the Middle East Force (MEF) in April 1919 and Harold moved to Heliopolis in Egypt in May, converting to the Vickers Vimy bomber. He embarked at Suez in August for Mesopotamia and was with 58 Squadron at Baghdad in August “for duty in connection with aerial routes”. I assume that the RAF was doing survey duties for the opening of commercial air routes through the Middle East and India.
He embarked at Basrah for England in July 1920 and joined 207 Squadron at Bircham Newton in September. He was granted a Short Service Commission in October, and joined the Aeroplane Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath in January 1921
Flight magazine records his engagement to Muriel Joyce Durham on 3 March1921, just a week before his fatal accident when testing his DH10 F8423.
https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1921/1921%20-%200161.PDF
The accident site
According to the second newspaper report, above, the crash happened at Gull Farm, Hasketon, which still exists.
Alan Smith, former archivist to the Martlesham Heath Aviation Society, has thrown new light on the subject from his records of events in the history of the airfield. He cites information from the Ipswich Records Office, the official inquest, and a post mortem report. According to this Harold's body was found at Bonds Close, Oak Tree Farm, Hasketon, just to the north of Gull Farm.
The inquest recorded that the aircraft was seen to be in difficulties at an altitude of about 500 feet, first falling then righting itself for a few seconds, then crashing to earth.
The accident was witnessed by Walter Thorpe, of Bonds Farm, who found the deceased lying beside the machine. After seeing the body at the mortuary at Martlesham airfield, medical officer Flight Lieutenant Alfred Parkes stated that there was a dislocation of the neck and other serious injuries, leading to instantaneous death.
David G. Bett, a farmer at Haskerton stated :
"Yesterday, Thursday morning, I saw an aeroplane flying overhead. The plane seemed to be flying all right except that it appeared to be going rather slowly for a big plane. It did not seem to be making as much noise as usual. As it came towards me one wing seemed to lift slightly once or twice. The plane was coming down wind, turned left handed and then suddenly made a spinning dive. I thought it must crash but it recovered and got onto an even keel and I thought it was alright. In about 5 seconds or so, however, it nose dived straight to the earth. I went directly, as quickly as I could. I found several people there and a couple were searching the wreckage in case there might be another victim."
Flight Lieutenant Edmund May Pizey, from RAF Martlesham Heath, stated that Harold Gardner had been stationed there for about six weeks. He was quite capable of handling the machine, and had considerable experience on twin-engined aircraft. Flight Lieutenant Pizey had flown the same machine twice that week and had no trouble with it. He was present when Flying Officer Gardner took off at about 10.45 am. The engines were tested satisfactorily on the ground before he left. He had not complained of any illness or feeling unwell before he flew and was normal and cheerful. He was very keen on flying that machine.
It would be of interest to know if there are local records of the event, and whether any remains of wreckage were preserved.
In memorium
I hope this adds a little to the history of Martlesham Heath, and the time the Aeroplane Experimental Establishment was based there. I also salute a brave young man who went from being a Private in the London Scottish Regiment, through the turmoil of duty with the RFC and RAF on the Western Front and post-war service in the Middle East, to finally become a test pilot in the RAF, with all the dangers and risks that entailed.
I must thank a number of people for help with this research. First, Susan Platz for asking the question “Who was my pilot cousin Harold Gardner?” Then friends on two Internet forums, that of the “Genealogy Addicts” Facebook Group and the Key Publishing Aviation Forum. Duncan Curtis did a great job deciphering and transcribing Harold’s service record, and contributed his deep understanding of aviation history. Alan Smith, former archivist to the Martlesham Heath Aviation Society, kindly shared his records, as described above, and Ian Savage provided me with copies of his father's photographs.
Laurence Garey, 29 February 2016