At 11.00hrs on 29th June 1918 this No.2 School of Special Flying aeroplane was in the process of taking off from Redcar aerodrome when a member of ground staff was struck. The leading edge of the left lower wing struck the individual and he was sadly killed in the accident.
Pilot - Lt Alan Vivian Lewis RAF. Uninjured.
Fitter - AM2 Henry James Wright RAF (226340), aged 27. Buried Coatham Churchyard, Redcar, Yorkshire.
Henry Wright's grave in Coatham Churchyard.
Alan Lewis was born on 5th March 1895. He enlisted for RNAS service and was granted a commission in July 1916 and was injured in a flying accident on 31st August 1917. He recovered and was transferred to the RAF when it formed in April 1918. His service file is missing his RAF postings so does not state when he was at Redcar. He was killed on 9th September 1918 when Grain Griffin N102 crashed at Isle of Grain. He is buried at Droitwich, Worcestershire and was still just twenty years old.
Avro 504 C4383 was built by A.V.Roe at Hamble and was transferred to the R.N.A.S. on 7th December 1917 when it was delivered to R.N.A.S. Cranwell. It suffered a Cat.R/FA accident there on 8th March 1918. It was issued to Redcar at an unknown date and sustained very little damage as a result of this mishap on 29th June 1918.