B.E.2c 1109. (Photograph via Mr Jim Rutland).
On 2nd September 1915 this RNAS Redcar Home Defence Flight aeroplane force-landed in the Whitby area, the crew escaped injury and the aeroplane was later repaired. The precise location for this landing is not yet known or the reasons behind the landing.
Pilot - Sqn Cdr Charles Edward Henry Rathborne RNAS.
Observer - F/Lt Charles Beauvoir Dalison RNAS.
Charles Beauvoir Dalison was born on 22nd September 1894 in London. He learnt to fly at the Grahame-White flying school at Hendon, gaining a Royal Aero Club aviators' certificate (Cert.No.1020) on 24th December 1914. On 19th August 1915 F/Lt Dalison was injured in a B.E.2C crash near Middlesbrough. He was later awarded the Air Force Cross on 2nd November 1918. Having attended No.3 Flying Training School between 1929 and 1933 he later served with 10 Squadron between 1933 and 1934. He was then posted out to the Middle East until 1937 and served with No.25 (Armament) Group at Eastchurch in 1938 and 1939. He died in 1971 in Poole, Dorset.
Charles Edward Henry Rathborne was born 17th February 1886 in Dublin, he was to have a long military career. In August 1903 he was made an Officer in the Royal Marine Light Infantry. On 15th August 1912 he became a Flight Commander at Felixstowe NAS and was later posted to the Central Flying School (with what formed as the first course of the CFS) and was awarded a Royal Aero Club aviators' cerificate (Cert.No.437) on 4th March 1913 at the C.F.S., Upavon, Wiltshire. On 15th April 1913 he was posted back to Felixstowe NAS. On 6th September 1914 while at Felixstowe he returned from an early morning patrol in his seaplane to make perhaps the first report of a UFO by a military officer. The report stated that at "At 5:35 AM, whilst on patrol, I sighted an airship steering south-southeast, with a silver-coloured envelope on the horizon while flying at 1,300 feet, 27 miles south of Orfordness." Having risen through the ranks by 31st December 1914 he rose to (Temp) Major and a Squadron Commander in the RNAS. He was posted to become Officer Commanding at RNAS Redcar in 1914 and during his time at Redcar S/Cdr Rathborne crashed Bristol Boxkite 8448 at Redcar on 9th December 1915. He would serve in France after a posting to Dunkirk. He was awarded the DSO for a bombing attack against Freiburg on 14th April 1917, during this he was shot down and captured. However, in July 1918, he managed to escape from the camp at Holzminden and returned to the British lines, for these actions he was awarded the Bar to the DSO. Having survived the First World War, on 18th December 1918 he was posted to become Officer Commanding of 68 (Operations) Wing. On 1st August 1919 his commission in the RMLI was terminated but on that date he was awarded a Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant Colonel. He married in London in 1919. In 1925 he was made Group Captain in the RAF and on 1st January 1931 rose to Air Commadore. He retired from the RAF on 13th October 1935. He died in London on 21st December 1943 while working as London Industrial Alarm Controller (Central and East London Area).
B.E.2c 1109 was built by Beardmore & Co. at Dalmuir and was delivered to RNAS Redcar Home Defence Flight on 31st July 1915. It moved to RNAS Scarborough Home Defence Flight on 25th August 1915 but was back at RNAS Redcar Home Defence Flight on 27th August 1915. On 2nd September 1915 it force landed near Whitby which saw it repaired although there is no indication of where this happened. It was back at RNAS Scarborough Home Defence Flight on 8th November 1915 and moved to RNAS Atwick Home Defence Flight on 11th November 1915 but was back at RNAS Scarborough Home Defence Flight on three days later. It transferred to RNAS Redcar Home Defence Flight the following day, 15th November 1915 where it remained until being transferred to RNAS Cranwell on 26th May 1917. It was deleted from charge on 2nd November 1917.