On 3rd January 1917 this aircraft crashed on landing at Redcar damaging in the propeller and ripping off its undercarriage. The photograph shows JN4 8821, 8820's sister aircraft.
Pilot - Flight Sub-Lt Bert Sterling Wemp RNAS.
Observer - Probationary F/O John William Pinder RNAS.
Bert Wemp was born on 3rd July 1889 at Tweed, Ontario, Canada and educated in Toronto. He began working in the offices of newspapers before WW1 and worked his way up to reporter, city editor and chief of The Telegram and the Toronto star. When the First World War broke out he volunteered as a pilot as gained his Royal Aviator's Certificate (Cert.No.1714) on 31st August 1915 at the Curtiss School, Toronto, Canada. While based near Great Yarmouth in 1916 he was one of a number of pilots to attempt to attack a German Naval squadron that attacked Lowestoft and Yarmouth on 25th April 1916. He later served as commander of 218 Squadron RNAS but was hospitalized in mid-1918 to early 1919. For his WW1 service was the first Canadian to win the Distinguished Flying Cross in the RAF, Gazetted on 3rd June 1918, though no citation has been located. He was also awarded the Chevalier, Order of Leopold (Belgium), Gazetted on 8th February 1919 and later returned home to Canada. On return to Toronto he continued his work as a journalist. In 1930 he ran for and was elected as Mayor of Toronto and was in office when the R.100 airship crossed the Atlantic. After a year in officer he returned to the Toronto Telegram as city editor. In WW2 he worked as a war correspondent and on 1st July 1946 he was awarded the OBE (Civil). He died on 5th February 1976.
John Pinder was born on 14th February 1898 in Deal, Kent. During WW1 he served with 9 & 13 Naval Squadrons and 45 & 213 Squadrons RAF. He was credited with seventeen aerial victories and was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 3rd June 1918. He was also awarded the Bar to the DFC on 3rd June 1919. He died in Icara, Brazil on 16th August 1920 in an accident. He and Brazilian pilot Aliathar Martins were attempted to make the first flight from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Buenos Aires, Argentina in a Macchi 9 flying boat. A damaged propeller forced them down at Lagoa dos Esteves and after repairing it, they were attempting to restart the engine when Martins was hit by the propeller and fell into the water. John Pinder attempted to save Martins but both men drowned.
Curtiss JN4 8820 was built by Curtiss in Toronto, Canada and shipped to the UK and delivered to AAP Hendon on 11th May 1916. Here it was assembled, tested and accepted on 22nd May 1916 and transferred to RNAS Flying School Chingford on 23rd May 1916. It was later transferred to RNAS Flying School Redcar on 27th August 1916 via Cranwell on the same day, RNAS Scarborough on 28th August and it finally arrived at Redcar on 30th August 1916. Although it was deemed beyond repair after the accident detailed above it sat in an unrepaired state for some months it was finally deleted on 25th June 1917. This period may have been due to the possible consideration for repair although this work was never carried out.