Miles Hawk Major G-ACTD near Doncaster.
On 31st August 1936 this aircraft was on a flight from York to Doncaster and while on the approach to land at Doncaster the aircraft stalled and crashed near Carr Grange, while flying a circuit of the aerodrome. The passenger sustained serious injuries and died a month later while the pilot escaped with leg and head injuries. Both men were serving officers in the 2nd Btn, Manchester Regiment, based at Strensall Barracks at the time. I previously made an assumption that this accident occurred near Carr Grange, Conisbrough but this would appear too far from the aerodrome at Doncaster. Carr Grange, Doncaster appears to have been near the modern A6182 road.
Pilot - 2Lt Robert "Rex" King-Clark (62647). Injured.
Passenger - Lt Henry Ninian Evelegh Frisby, aged 20. Died 25th September 1936. Burial location unknown.
Henry Frisby was born in Chertsey, Surrey in 1916 and was the only son of Henry Guy Fellowes Frisby and Ruth Evelegh. As a young man he had attended St.Peter's School, York. Both he and King-Clark were serving officers in the 2nd Btn, Manchester Regiment, based at Strensall Barracks in the mid-1930s. He is listed in Flight Magazine as qualifying to fly solo at the York and Leeming Aero Club in August 1936. He broke his back as a result of the crashing G-ACTD as well as sustaining other injuries and succumbed to these injuries on 25th September 1936. It is worthy of note that his father's brother was Cyril Hubert Frisby V.C.
Rex King-Clark was born on 27th November 1913. He was proficient at a number of things including motor racing driver, aircraft pilot, author and aerial photographer. He had learnt to fly at the York and Leeming Aero Club to whom he had joined as a flying member by October 1935. Both he and Frisby are listed in Flight Magazine as qualifying to fly solo in the first week of August 1936 and gaining their A-Licences in the same month. Later in August 1936 King-Clark bought G-ACTD and crashed it soon after. He later bought Miles Whitney Straight G-AERS and this was also based at York. In 1937 he was given permission to fly G-AERS out to Egypt and then back a few month later after serving with the 1st Btn, Manchester Regiment. While in North Africa he flew the aircraft and took aerial photographs. He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions in Palestine in 1938. Having served in France during the Battle of France he was later to be evacuated through Dunkirk, being posted to India and Burma later in the War. He was awarded the MBE on 8th December 1953 for service in Korea. He died in 2007. The website "www.themenbehindthemedals.org.uk" has an excellent account of his achievements.
Miles Hawk Major G-ACTD was the prototype Miles M.2F Hawk Major. It was first registered to Captain G.R.D.Shaw and was flown by Mr Tommy Rose in the 1934 King's Cup Air Race taking second place. Mr Rose won the race the following year in a Miles Falcon. G-ACTD was then sold to and registered by Kenneth Crawford, of Murrayfield, Edinburgh (and based at Macmerry) from 2nd July 1935 to April 1938 when it was listed as destroyed or permanently withdrawn from use. Kenneth Crawford had actually sold the aircraft to Robert King-Clark in July or August 1936 but it was never registered to him, possibly as he crashed it first. The wrecked aircraft was taken away and remained stored for many years (at an unknown location) before being taken to York Aerodrome (Clifton) to be used as a target for a practice bombing demonstration at an air display after WW2 (possibly the airshow at Clifton in June 1951).