On 30th January 1917 this RNAS Flying School aeroplane suffered damage in a forced landing near RNAS Redcar. The pilot received minor facial injuries.
Pilot - Probationary F/O Thomas Herbert Boyd RNAS. Injured.
Thomas Boyd was born on 29th November 1890. He was working as an assistant surveyor for the GPO when he enlisted for RNAS service, being then granted a commission on 22nd October 1916. He then trained at RNAS Redcar Flying School from 27th November 1916 to 17th February 1917. While at Redcar he crashed Avro 504 8595 on 30th January 1917 and Avro 504 9867 on 16th February 1917, the first incident saw him receive minor facial injuries. He later served on board the aircraft carrier HMS Campania. On 9th February 1918 he was piloting Curtiss H-4 Experimental Flying Boat 1230 when the engine failed 45 miles south of Fair Isle and he was forced to land in a very rough sea being picked up later by a destroyer. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 3rd June 1918 for what appears to have been his actions in sinking a German submarine in March 1918. He returned to working for the GPO after the First World War, rising to become one of its chief members of staff, Assistant Post Master General. He was awarded the C.B., Gazetted on 1st January 1938 and died in May 1941.
Avro 504 8595 was built by A V Roe of Manchester and taken by lorry to RNAS Whitley Bay for testing on 29th December 1915. It was accepted there on 8th January 1916 and was damaged on 5th February 1916 before being repaired and transferred down to RNAS Redcar Flying School on 28th May 1916. It was damaged on 23rd June 1916 and while the published records claim it may not have been repaired it must have been because it crashed at Redcar on 30th January 1917. This second incident appears to have seen it assessed then deleted a short time later.
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