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Arborfield
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Memories
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Thanks to our member Ray Hill, the aircraft has been identified by an historian with 'Air Britain' as an RE8, Serial No. A4205. For more information on the RE8, click here. Aircraft would have been a familiar sight over Arborfield, since Farnborough is only a few miles away. Also, Reading had an aircraft factory and experimental establishment.
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The Aeroplane Crash at Arborfield (from 24th August 1918)
Mr. R. S. Payne held an inquiry at Wokingham on Wednesday respecting the death of Capt. O. Horsley and Capt. Hugh A. Renwick, who were killed in an aeroplane accident at Arborfield on Monday. Major R. M. Hill, Farnborough, said Capt. Horsley was a pilot and Capt. Renwick an observer working with him. Capt. Renwick was formerly in a regiment, and was to be or had been attached to the R.A.F. His age was 28. Capt. Horsley was a captain in the Royal Air Force and Gordon Highlanders. He was 25. Dr. Ernest Maberly, M.R.C.P. and M.R.C.S., medical officer in charge of the Remount Depot, Arborfield, described the severe injuries sustained by the deceased, Renwick having the skull and left thigh fractured, and Horsley a dislocated neck and fractured left thigh.
The R.E.8.
George Eric Byers, air mechanic, said the deceased were out for testing. Capt. Horsley had flown before, but not on this machine, which had been flown the Friday before by Major Hill. The machine was tested and inspected before the flight by himself. There were one or two slight things reported on Friday, but they were all put right before the flight on Monday. They had four or five other machines of this type in use. In reply to Mr. F. G. Horsley, brother of Capt. Horsley, the witness said the machine was of the new service model. By Mr. Brodie: The machine had been flying for four months, and had not previously developed any defects. It had always been kept up-to-date. The machine rose all right when starting. Pte. G. Kew, A.S.C., Arborfield, said he saw the machine come down. At first it was going very smoothly. Looking up again he saw a large cloud of vapour come out of the back part. A portion of the wing on the left hand side seemed to come away. There was a kind of explosion, and the machine seemed to lift a little. He could hear the breaking of the machine, which went spinning sideways, and then came to earth. Both the officers were dead. Sidney J. Gough, a foreman at the Remount Depot, Arborfield, corroborated. He should think the machine fell from a height of a little over 2,000 feet. One large piece of the wing left the machine – the others were small. Major Hill, recalled, said he flew the machine on the previous Friday under exactly the same conditions as the deceased officers did on Monday. He reported two adjustments required, which were done. Witness carried out tests, and gave Capt. Horsley instruction to do the same things. Everything was in working order. The machine was not used between the Friday and Monday. It would not be necessary to take the machine to pieces, these being but minor matters, which he could say definitely had no bearing upon the causes of the accident. About 12:30 p.m. on Monday he arrived by car at the scene of the accident. The wreck was so complete that it was difficult to ascertain what had been broken in the air or in the crash. If the wing became detached as given in evidence, the machine would become uncontrollable. There was no sign of any explosion or fire. The wing must have failed, causing the machine to become unmanageable. It was no fault of the pilot that the machine failed to descend properly. The wing question was a very technical matter. No reasonable inspection could have prevented the accident. A verdict of "Accidental death through falling through the air in an aeroplane, owing to the failure of the wing structure", was recorded. Back to WW1 Remount Depot Page
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