B.E.12a A4013(?) crashed near Doncaster.
On 8th June 1917 this No.15 Training Squadron was being flown on a training flight and while at 3,000 feet the engine cut out. The pilot made a successful forced landing without damage to the aeroplane but the location of this is not known. A short time later the engine was restarted and the engine must then have appears to run correctly. The pilot took off but having climbed to between 150 and 200 feet the engine cut out again. The aeroplane then struck a tree and crashed which saw it badly damaged and the pilot sustained injuries. Where this occurred is not known. The training unit was based at Doncaster and the incident probably occurred that general area. The casualty card for this incident shows the serial number as either A4012 or A4013 with the final digit being over-written, with the "3" appearing to be the correction.
Pilot - 2Lt Harold Durnford Algernon Frederick Dart RFC. Injured.
Harold Dart was born on 22nd February 1887 in Dorset. He initially served in the Army Service Corps and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in Summer 1916. He received a commission and was posted to No.15 Reserve Squadron on 28th May 1917. While he recovered from the injuries sustained on 8th June 1917 he does not appear to have ever served with a front line squadron either with the RFC or with the RAF when it formed and he traferred to them. He appears to have left the RAF in 1919 but later rejoined the RAFVR in WW2 serving in the ATC. He died in December 1946.