B.E.2e A1331 at Copmanthorpe aerodrome.
On the night of 24th / 25th September 1917 the Midlands and North of England were the targets of a Zeppelin raid that initially saw eleven Zeppelins set out. Of the Zeppelins only three overflew Yorkshire. L.35 came in over Lincolnshire around midnight then headed up to The Humber before west toward Goole but then changed direction and headed for Rotherham. Bombs then fell on Clayton, Thurnscoe, Highgate, Bolton upon Dearne, Swinton and Ryecroft. Anti-aircraft guns opened up on the L.35 and it headed back east, crossing the North Sea coast near Aldborough at 04.05hrs. L.55 came inland near Bridlington at 00.15hrs and headed up the Yorkshire coast. Bombs were dropped around Boulby before anti-aircraft guns and gun boats opened fire and it made off to sea. L.41 came in over Hornsea at 01.27hrs, eventually flew over Hull and released a number of bombs, turned toward Marfleet and Paull. Anti-aircraft guns then fired at it, it dropped more bombs at Preston and went out to sea at Tunstall at 02.43hrs. The RNAS and RFC sent up a total of thirty six aeroplanes with No.76 Squadron and No.36 Squadrons probably being the Royal Flying Corps units involved. Two of these crashed and were written off; one force landed on Flamborough Head and two others landed away from base.
A 76 Squadron aeroplane was B.E.2e A1331 took off from Copmanthorpe at 02.30hrs but crashed on landing there at 06.20hrs with the pilot escaping injury.
Pilot - 2Lt Harry Boden Evans RFC.
Harry Boden Evans was born on 3rd March 1888 in Natal, South Africa. He was in the RFC from August 1916 but what he did prior to this is not known. He was posted to 76 Squadron on 2nd July 1917. He was later posted to 148 Squadron and went to France, transferring to the newly created Royal Air Force. On 17th June 1918 he was flying 148 Squadron F.E.2b A6409 when he was forced to land infornt of his own lines. He and Henry Seymour Collett were both captured and taken prisoner of war. He would return to England after the war but was placed on the Unemployed List in 1919.