Meteor T.7 WH130 near Ottringham.

During the morning of Wednesday, 16th July 1952 this 203 Advanced Flying School aircraft was flown on a formation flying exercise with other aircraft. During a formation change this aircraft collided in the air with Meteor WH130 over the Ottringham area, to the south-east of Hull. The pilot of WH130 lost control, his aircraft dived into a field with fatal results near Grange Farm, south of Ottringham. The pilot of Meteor VW275 appears to have remained in control and after circling the area for a time landed safely with minor damage, probably at Driffield where the unit was based. The later inquest stated that the collision occurred while the aircraft were flying at around 350mph.

The pilot of Meteor WH130 appears to have been a pupil pilot at 203 A.F.S. at the time of the incident though he was an experienced wartime pilot.

Pilot - F/Sgt Dennis Edward John Chalkley DFC RAF (1600121), aged 29. Buried Roffey Cemetery, Horsham, Surrey.

Dennis Chalkley was born on 12th December 1922. He had flown with 576 Squadron prior to being granted a commission in the RAF on 23rd December 1944 (189362). He was then awarded the DFC for service with 625 Squadron, Gazetted on 23rd March 1945. He then relinquished his commission on 6th September 1948 but then rejoined the RAF and reverted to the non-commisioned ranks.

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