Unidentified aeroplane (probably Avro 504) damaged in the air.
During the morning of Tuesday, 3rd September 1918 a number of No.21 Training Depot Station aeroplanes were flown in the Driffield area where they undertook an air fighting training exercise. Unfortunately a collision occurred in the air between two aeroplanes and this resulted in the pilot of D6319 being killed when his aeroplane crashed into a cornfield near Driffield and catching fire. The exact events are not fully recorded but it appears that Avro 504 D6319 piloted by Flight Cadet Denton and second crewed by Capt Larson (with a Sgt pupil) were flying together undertaking the air fighting exercise when an unidentified third aeroplane made a dummy attack on these two and came too close to them. The pilot of D6319 and Capt Larson attempted to take evasive action to avoid a collision with the third but in doing so they collided with each other. The identity of Captain Larson's aeroplane is not known. Exactly where D6319 crashed is not known though newspaper reports that recount the pilot's inquest state it was near the aerodrome at Driffield; called Eastburn at that time and that his death was registered in the Driffield district. Capt Larson probably made a safe landing back at Eastburn aerodrome.
Pilot - Capt Jens Fredrick Larson RAF.
Pilot - (Sgt) Name unknown.
Jens Larson was born on 10th August 1891 at Waltham, Maddachusetts, USA and as a young man studied architecture at Harvard. During the First World War he initially served in the Canadian Field Artillery and was seconded to the RFC in 1916. He served in France with No.8, No.34 and No.84 Squadron being credited with nine enemy aeroplanes shot down. He transferred to the RAF on it's formation in April 1918 and while serving with 84 Squadron he was hospitalised in May 1918. Once fit he was posted to No.21 TDS on 16th July 1918. In October 1918 he was repatriated to Canada and served there before leaving the RAF probably training recruits. He became a prominant architect in the USA and died in May 1981.