B.E.2c 1135 at Brompton, Scarborough.
On 11th January 1916 the pilot of this aeroplane was intending on flying from Scarborough to Redcar to transfer it between the two RNAS Home Defence Flights. Soon after taking off from Scarborough it suffered an engine failure so was force landed near Brompton. The aeroplane received damage.
Pilot - FSL Henry Gilbert Ford RNAS.
Henry Ford was born on 8th May 1883. He entered the RNVR on 29th October 1914 taking the rank of temporary Sub-Lieut. He transferred to the RNAS and receiving a commission to the rank of Probationary Flight Sub-Lieut on 8th July 1915. He was posted to Redcar on 18th October 1915. He left England for Malta on 19th April 1916 and on or just before 29th July 1916 he was seriously injured but what happened is not known. He was sent back to England and admitted to hospital. His service file suggests that he was never passed fit to fly again so undertook ground duties.
B.E.2c 1135 was built to contract C.P.58282/14/X19112 by Blackburn's at Leeds and was delivered as new to RNAS Redcar on the 21st August 1915 by Rowland Ding. It probably served with the Home Defence Flight there. It spent all of it's service being used at either Redcar or Scarborough. It was transferred to RNAS Scarborough Home Defence Flight on 4th October 1915 but on the delivery flight it suffered damaged on landing at Scarborough. It was repaired on site on 6th October 1915 and was transferred back to RNAS Redcar Home Defence Flight on 13th October 1915. It went back to RNAS Scarborough Home Defence Flight on 26th November 1915. It went to RNAS Redcar Home Defence Flight on the 29th November 1915, and back to Scarborough on 8th December 1915, then back to Redcar on 16th December 1915 and back to Scarborough on 18th January 1916. On 11th January 1916 it crashed at Brompton and was deemed beyond repair, on 3rd February 1916 it was struck off charge.