Unidentified Kranich glider at Pickering.
The 1958 RAF Gliding and Soaring Association championships took place at South Cerney, near Cirencester from 17th to 26th May 1958, this saw 22 aircraft and 175 association members were entered into the competition where pilots used each of the days to compete to fly the greatest distance from South Cerney. On Friday, 23rd May 1958 this glider set out from South Cerney, Gloucestershire at 12.30hrs. It was owned by the Cleveland Gliding Club. They landed at Edgehill, Warwickshire some time later and after a short period of time on the ground they received an aero-tow and were airborne again. They headed north-east but while over North Yorkshire they made an attempt to land the glider on Pickering's cricket pitch after they encountered a thunder storm in the area. During the attempted landing the aircraft skimmed over power lines and then clipped telephone lines which run over the edge of the cricket field. The glider made a crash landing on the cricket square damaging the skids and making three gouges in the wicket. The weekend's cricket fixtures were cancelled. The two crew were uninjured.
Pilot - S/Ldr Joseph George Croshaw AFC RAF (55139).
Passenger - F/Lt Ernest Walter Clarke RAF (1801919).
Joseph Croshaw received a commission in the RAF as P/O on probation (emergency) on 5th December 1943 and rose through
the rank of F/O (war subs) on an unknown date but probably six months later to F/Lt (war subs) on 5th December 1945.
He remained in the RAF post-war initially taking the rank of F/O but climbing again. As F/Lt he was
awarded the Air Force Cross on 1st January 1952. He rose to S/Ldr on 1st July 1954 and later to W/Co on 1st July 1960 but retired
at his own request on 1st June 1969. He had taken part in RAF gliding for a number of years around the late-1950s and early-1960s.
An RAF officer of the same name served with 96 Squadron in the 1950's and may be the same person.
As well as being a glider pilot F/Lt Ernest Clarke was serving RAF jet pilot. He served as a flying instructor at RAF Leeming in 1957 and took a lead role in forming the gliding club there. He later served with No.64 Squadron but was killed in a gliding accident on 27th May 1961 near Cambridge. He was 36 years old.