Avro 504 G-EANQ at Scarborough.
Avro 504 G-EANQ (photo via Jim Rutland).
On 19th July 1920 this aircraft suffered engine failure in flight and the aircraft struck a hayrick on landing in the Scarborough area damaging the aircraft. The pilot and passenger are not thought to have been injured. The aircraft was being used for pleasure flights at the time of the accident. The aircraft after the mishap is shown in the photograph below. The pilot's
first mishap in the Scarborough area during the Summer of 1920, in September 1920 he was the pilot of Avro 504 G-EAIA which crashed onto the South Bay beach at Scarborough.
Pilot - Mr John Oliver AFC.
Passenger - Name unknown.
John Oliver was born in Wilmslow, Cheshire on 25th July 1898. In 1914 he began work with A V Roe as
a "premium apprentice", he learnt to fly in 1916 and joined the RFC in 1917 and became an RFC pilot
before transferring to the newly created RAF in 1918. On 3rd June 1918 the notification that he was
to receive the Air Force Cross was published in the London Gazette and at the time he was a
Lieut. in the newly formed RAF. This was the first issue of the AFC to twenty one officers. He flew with Border Aviation Co Ltd while
his application to join the post-WW1 RAF was granted. Having been granted a permanent commission in the RAF he later took part in
the RAF's Aerial Pagent at Hendon in July 1921 flying a Sopwith Snipe and at this date his rank was F/O. He rose to F/Lt on
10th December 1924 and was posted to H.Q. India the month previously. He was transferred to the Home Establishment and was
posted to Uxbridge on 12th March 1936 and later that year posted to the Home Aircraft Depot at Henlow on 12th July 1926.
In 1929 he was the test pilot for the Avro Ten at Woodford aerodrome. On 6th January 1930 he was posted to 3 Squadron at Upavon and
made Honorary Secretary of No.3 Squadron Officers Re-union Dinner later that year. He was made S/Ldr in 1934 and posted back to
India in January 1935 for Admin Duties. He was promoted to W/Co on 1st October 1937 and on 1st January 1938 he was posted to command
No.1 (Indian Wing) Station, Kohat, India. He rose to G/Capt on 1st September 1940. He retired from the RAF in 1946. Back in civilian
life he was appointed to Aviation Manager to the Goodyear Tyre Company and as A/Comm Oliver he became the Dept Lt. of Staffordshire
in 1951. He died in Budleigh Salterton, Devon on 22nd September 1982, aged 84.
The aircraft was built to Contract 35a/3268/C3791 by A.V. Roe Ltd, Manchester as J755.
The aircraft was immediately declared 'surplus to requirements' as it was manufactured after WW1 had ended, it probably never
left the factory. After being purchased by A.V. Roe Ltd and registered to them as G-EANQ on 22nd September 1919 it was sold
to Border Aviation Co Ltd who were based in Carlisle in April 1920. After it suffered the accident detailed above it was
repaired. The company owning it went into liquidation in October 1920 and the Certificate of Airwrothiness lapsed
on 8th October 1920. It was transferred to the company's former proprietors Robert F Little & Percy H Ingham
who then became Ingham & Little Aviation Company based at Botcherley, Carlisle on 25th May 1921. Its C.ofA.
was renewed on 20th July 1921 but it suffered its Cat.W/FA on 5th December 1921 when it caught fire in the air
and crashed onto a beach near Kirk Andrews, to the West of Carlisle and at the edge of the Solway Firth near Carlisle and burnt out.
The registration was cancelled shortly afterwards on 5th December 1921. The company were not insured and folded shortly aftewards.