On 11th September 1916 this aircraft suffered engine failure in the Redcar area andwas damaged in a force-landing at or near Redcar aerodrome. It overturned on landing but suffered only slight damage and was later repaired.
Pilot - Flight Sub-Lt Harold Richard Grant Whates RNAS.
Harold Richard Grant Whates was born in Kensington, London in 1895, he was
granted a temporary commission in the RNVR on 3rd March 1917 to the rank of Sub-Lt and then elected to become a member of the Royal Aero Club on 7th November 1917.
Nothing more about him is known other than he died in Ludlow, Shropshire in 1961.
Caudron GIII 8944 was built by the British Caudron Company Ltd of Hendon and was delivered to RNAS AAP Hendon on 23rd May 1916 where it was tested and accepted on 25th May 1916. Having been dismantled it was transported by rail to RNAS Redcar where it arrived on 11th July 1916. It sustained damage in the incident detailed above on 11th September 1916 and was repaired. It suffered a further accident on 26th October 1916 and was probably not repaired as it was finally deleted on 29th January 1917.