Sopwith Pup B2242 near Catterick.

On 13th November 1917 this No.6 Training Squadron, Royal Flying Corps aeroplane dived into the ground in the Catterick area killing the pilot. National Archives file "Air1/680/21/13/2207" states that the pilot was not strapped in and was thrown forward onto the control stick which caused the aircraft to go into a dive. How the pilot came to be buried in Canada needs further research.

Pilot - 2Lt Robert Blair Esdaile RFC, aged 19. Buried Montreal (Mount Royal) Cemetery, Quebec, Canada.


Robert Esdaile was the son of Charles Blair Mackenzie and Annie Esdaile and was born on 7th July 1898. He enlisted on 11th October 1916 and had initially served in the Canadian Field Artillery, then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. On his service file his next of kin's address is shown as being "Board of Trade, Montreal". I credit "Find a Grave" with the photograph of his grave shown here. I find it highly likely that he was initially buried in England, possibly at Catterick and maybe because his father held a high position in office was able to later receive permission to have his body exhumed and returned to Canada. This was rare.

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