On 15th August 1916 this aircraft overshot on landing at Redcar aerodrome and crashed into houses in Redcar, the crew escaped serious injury but the aircraft was badly damaged.
Pilot - Flight Sub-Lt Bert Sterling Wemp RNAS.
Observer - Flight Sub-Lt William Buckley 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.
William Buckley joined the RNAS on 25th June 1916, nothing more is known about him.
Caudron 8946 was built by the British Caudron Company Ltd based at Hendon and delivered to RNAS AAP, Hendon on 17th June 1916 where it was tested and accepted on 20th June 1916. It was then dismantled and sent by rail to RNAS Redcar on 12th July 1916 and arrived at Redcar three days later and was re-assembled, tested and accepted there on 3rd August 1916. Twelve days later on 15th August 1916 it sustained this accident at Redcar and was declared beyond repair, after asseessment it was deleted on 28th August 1916.