Avro 504 at Ampleforth Abbey.
On Armistice Day 1918 two ex-Ampleforth College Boys, who later became were to become members of the RFC
(and were possibly now serving in the newly formed RAF, returned to the school by air to pay the school a visit. One
of the brothers contacted the school to say that he had
been allowed by his CO to fly an aircraft with his brother to Ampleforth. The aircraft landed on the schools cricket field with no problems
occuring. One of the Monks at the school was given a ride in the aircraft but on take off a problem occured and the
aircraft crashed at the east side of the cricket field. Repaired were being carried out to a narrow gauge railway, an iron rail has been left by the side of the
field and the aircrafts skid caught it. The aircraft reportedly broke its back but neither on board were injured.
The next day another two aircraft landed on the
field to fly out the two other airmen, one of these aircraft also crashed and is detailed on the next webpage.
Pilot - Collison RFC.
Passenger - (Possibly) Father John.
On the 22nd of November 1926, an Airco D.H. 9A, serial "J7310" of 24 Sqdn, based at Kenley lost speed in a turn soon
after take off, the aircraft stalled and crashed behind the hangar at Kenley and burnt out, damage sustained was cat W/FA.
F/Lt F St.J Woollard was killed and F/O F L Collison was seriously injured. It is thought that he was one of the Collison brothers.
Whilst at a friends house I came across some details in this write-up in a 1993 Ampleforth Parish Magazine. Another local
publication quotes the date to be 7th April 1919.
I would welcome any more information on these two crashes.