Magister L8060 near Skeeby, Richmond.
At around 11.35hrs on Tuesday, 16th August 1938 this 26 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron took off from Catterick airfield. On board with the pilot was a passenger who was a medical officer at Catterick at the time though was also a qualified civilian pilot. The purpose of the flight is not yet known. At around midday the aircraft was seen flying over the Skeeby area, north west of Catterick and that the engine was failing. People on the ground heard the engine stop and saw the aircraft loose height before the engine then picked up and the aircraft level out. The engine then failed again and the aircraft then lost height, spun and dived into the ground from around 500 feet. The aircraft was found to have dived into a field of standing corn near Olliver Farm, Skeeby and both occupants of the aircraft were found to have been killed. The field was known locally as Scarberry Field. The commanding officer of Catterick aerodrome gave evidence at inquest of the two dead men and stated that he believed that after the engine failed for the second time the pilot had applied full-flap which would slow the aircraft and cause it to stall, with there being not enough height left to put the aircraft in a dive to pick up speed and to then recover the aircraft to level flight it crashed. Magister L8060 was built to contract 706823/37 by Philips and Powys Ltd. at Woodley and had been taken on charge by 26 Squadron at Catterick on 21st March 1938. The crash on 16th August 1938 saw a Cat.W/FA damage assessment and it was struck off charge on 13th November 1938 having clocked up a total of 82 hours flying from new.
Pilot - Lt Edward James Boyle KOAS (S.No.?), aged 26. Buried Earl of Glasgow's Private Burial Ground, Largs, Scotland.
Passenger - Dr William Delano Walker BSc, MB, BS(Adl), FRS(SA), FRAI, FRES, FRPS, FZS, FRGS, aged 40. Burial location unknown.
Edward James Boyle was the second son of Cpt. The Hon. James Boyle and Katherine Isabel Salvin Bowlby, he was born on 26th February 1912. His father was killed serving in WW1 on 18th October 1914 having already fought in the Boar War. Edward's older brother Lt.Col. Patrick John Salvin Boyle died on 27th May 1944 at Anzio, Italy while commanding 1st Btn Royal Scots Fusiliers. Their mother married Air Marshal Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard in 1920. Viscount Trenchard was instrumental for RAF being established. Edward Boyle had seven years military service; five years in the Army serving in the King's Own Scottish Borderers. While in the rank of Lt. in the Army, on 5th July 1936 he was granted a temporary commission as F/O being seconded for duty in the RAF. He then undertook pilot training at No.2 F.T.S. at Digby from 19th September 1936 until early 1937 gaining the award of a Distinguished Pass. Following training at the School of Army Co-Operation at Old Sarum, beginning on 22nd May 1937 he was posted to 26 Squadron on 20th August 1937. I have no doubt that he would have been destined for the upper ranks of the Army had his life not been cut short in 1938.
William Delano Walker was born on 30th October 1897 at Port Pirie and was the son of Dr William John and Mary (nee Delano) Walker. He was educated at St.Peter's College and the University of Adelaide. Having worked in Adelaide hospitals he and his wife toured Australia photographing and researching the indigenous people. he and his wife travelled to the UK in 1929 so he could undertake post-graduate study. He then trained as a pilot at the York and Leeming Flying Club where he was awarded a Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate (Cert.No.14084) on 23rd July 1936. He is mentioned in Flight Magazine as being a new member of the club and also as undertaking his first flight with them in June 1936. Elsewhere on the internet there is a suggestion that he joined the RAF in 1933. A full biography of his life can be found here.. "http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/aa357/provlist.htm"