Unidentified aeroplane at Sledmere.
Newspaper reports that mention this incident at Sledmere quote the aeroplane type to have been a "two seater Herles", exactly what this is remains unclear; it may be a Hermes-Desoutter. The newspapers state that the pilot owned the aeroplane. On Friday, 18th July 1930 the aeroplane was flown from London to Sledmere House, the family home of the Sykes family. The passenger was the second son of Colonel Sir Tatton Benvenuto Mark Sykes, 6th Baronet. Whether or not there is any connection with Mr Sykes returning to Yorkshire by aeroplane, to him returning to see his sick mother who subsequently died a few days after this flying accident has to be learnt.
On Saturday, 19th July 1930 both men flew from Sledmere to Hull to obtained something for or to modify the engine with and whatever this was appears to have been fitted to the engine at Hull before they then returned towards Sledmere. At the time of the eventual incident the aeroplane was being tested after this addition. The aeroplane was flown back to Sledmere and while the pilot was descending to land in the park the engine failed at around 500 feet above the ground, the aeroplane went into a spin and crashed. Exactly where it crashed is unclear but newspapers state it was in the park ajoining the house in near trees (which doesn't exactly narrow the location down much owing to it being a superb area of estate parkland). Both men escaped injury and the wrecked aeroplane was later transported to Catfoss aerodrome.
Pilot - Hon. William Drogo Sturges Montagu.
Passenger - Mr Christopher Hugh Sykes.
The Hon. Drogo Montago was born on 29th May 1908. He was awarded a Royal Aero Club aviators' certificate on 6th February 1930 (cert.no.8964) after training at the National Flying Services, Hanworth. He was then granted a commission in the RAF AAF on 12th February 1930 with 601 (County of London) Squadron. I have located mentions of him flying in the Huntingdon area in Summer 1930, at Hinchingbrooke on 6th June 1930 and then
flying his "private machine" at a pageant at Huntingdon on 9th July 1930. At the time of creating this webpage the aeroplane's identity is not known. He later owned Percival Vega Gull G-AECF from 1936-37. He was killed on 26th January 1940 when Harvard P5862 crashed at Aston Down.
Mr Christopher Sykes' life is very well documented elsewhere and I see no point simply copying other text when I can add nothing myself.