On 23rd August 1916 this RNAS Flying School aeroplane was being flown in Redcar area when the engine failed, the pilot attempted a forced landing but the aeroplane was damaged.
Pilot - FSL Lloyd Allison Sands RNAS.
Lloyd Sands was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada on 19th May 1894. He enlisted into the RNAS on 3rd February 1916 and was posted to RNAS Redcar Flying School on 25th April 1916. He was awarded his Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate on 21st August 1916 at RNAS Redcar (Cert.No.3608). The mishap he was involved in occurred two days later and he was posted to RNAS Cranwell a further two days later. He was later posted to 3 Naval Squadron RNAS on 24th December 1916 then on 22nd April 1917 he was posted to RNAS Dunkirk. In June 1917 he returned to England with mumps and was admitted to hospital but recovered and was posted back to France. On 17th July 1917 his service file states that he "drove down two enemy aircraft out of control". Between November 1917 and January 1918 he was allowed to return to Canada then returned to England and was posted back to the front. F/Lt Sands lost his life on 22nd March 1918 when his aeroplane collided with another from his squadron. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial. He was twenty three years old.
Caudron G.III 8945 was built by British Caudron Company Ltd at Hendon and was delivered to AAP at Hendon on 24th May 1916 where it was tested and accepted on 26th May 1916. It was taken apart and transported by rail to RNAS Redcar on 11th July 1917. Following re-erection and testing it was accepted on 2nd August 1916 and then joined the RNAS Flying School at Redcar. It was damaged in accidents at Redcar on 23rd August 1916, 24th October 1916 and 11th December 1916 from which it was repaired on site. On 21st January 1917 it was again damaged at Redcar but was not repaired, it was assessed and deleted from stock on 31st January 1917.