Lysander V9605 in Scarborough.
Lysander V9605 nearest the camera.
During the morning of the 4th of June 1941 this Lysander took off from Clifton airfield near York with two pilots on board, the offical
reason for the flight was to carry out a photographic exercise at 5000 feet, but after this the aircraft overflew
Scarborough shortly after 11.00hrs. The pilot in charge of the aircraft at the time
came from the Scarborough area and his parents lived at 20 Lowdale Avenue (near to where the modern Kinderland
development was in more modern years).
The aircraft overflew Lowdale Avenue, it was thought that the pilot was showing his friend and collegue where his parents
lived. They were so low that the aircraft clipped the roof of 26 Lowdale Avenue and shortly afterwards, at 11.15hrs, dived
into the ground on allotment gardens near Weydale Avenue killing both men instantly. The aircraft was destroyed with Cat E damage being recorded.
Lysander V9605 was built to contract 54509/39 by Westland's at Yeovil. It is believed to have been delivered to the RAF in February
1941 but placed in MU storage before being issued to 4 Squadron at Linton-on-Ouse on an as yet unspecified date. It was destroyed and given
Cat W/FA damage in the incident at Scarborough and struck off charge.
Pilot - P/O Geoffrey R G Mould RAF (44535), aged 26, of 20 Lowdale Avenue, Scarborough. Buried Manor Road Cemetery, Scarborough, Yorkshire.
Pilot - P/O William L Theys RAFVR (81418), aged 30, of Bedford. Buried Bedford. Husband of Margaret S J Theys. Living at 75 Reighton Ave, Clifton at the time of his death.
P/O Mould's headstone in Manor Road Cemetery, Scarborough. He had previously served as a 2nd Lieut in the Royal Engineers
before tranferring to the RAF in October 1940 as an Officer. He had trained at 8 & 9 EFTS, at the time of his death had 228 hours total flying,
100 hours of which were on the Lysander, and 98 of these were solo on type.
The crash scene as it was soon after the accident. My thanks to local historian Mr Richard Percy for his input in researching this incident and for providing this photograph. Mr Percy
has published a number of historial books about Scarborough.
If the house numbers are still the same then the aircraft clipped the roof of this house.
The aircraft crashed on land very close to where this hotel would be built some years later and named the "Lysander" hotel because of this accident.
My thanks for the owners for contacting me in 2007.
William theys was made Acting P/O on probation on 28th June 1940 and then to P/O on probation on 25th August 1940.
