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All About History Books
The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
Died in a plane crash is in Accident.
On 5th July 1912 Eustace Broke Loraine (age 32) died in a plane crash at Airmans's Corner [Map]. The first Royal Flying Corps officer to be killed in an aircraft crash while flying on duty. A cross was erected at the site but has since been relocated to the Stonehenge Vistors Centre.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 6 July 1912: "Aviation Tragedy. How the Accident Occurred. The inquest was held at Bulford Camp Hospital, Salisbury Plain, yesterday evening on Capt Eustace Brooke Loraine, 33, and Staff-Sergt. Wilson, 29, victims of the Army aeroplane accident. Capt. Loraine was in the Grenadier Guards, and Wilson in the Royal Engineers, and both were attached to the Flying Corps. A verdict of accidental death was returned."
On 21st July 1930 Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood 3rd Marquess of Dufferin and Ava (age 55) died in a plane crash. His son Basil (age 21) succeeded 4th Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, 4th Earl of Ava in County Down and Burma, 4th Earl of Dufferin in County Down, 4th Viscount Dufferin of Claneboye in County Down, 4th Baron Claneboye of Claneboye in County Down, 8th Baron Dufferin and Claneboye of Ballyleidy and Killyleagh in County Down, 8th Baronet Blackwood of Killyleagh in County Down. Maureen Constance Guinness Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava (age 23) by marriage Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.
On 21st July 1930 Rosemary Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower (age 36) died in a plane crash. She was booked on a flight from Le Touquet to Croydon. A seat became available on an earlier flight which she accepted. The flight departed in clear weather. At about at 2:30 pm in poor weather over Kent the tail unit failed, causing the aircraft to stall, which in turn caused the port wing to break away and the plane to crash. All the passengers fell from the aircraft through the hole created by the wing breaking away. The Viscountess' body was found in a meadow.
An inquest was opened on 23 July where the Viscountess was identified by her brother George (age 41). After the formal identifications, the inquest was adjourned for the Air Ministry technical investigation to take place. The inquest was resumed on 13 August at which the jury returned a verdict "that the victims met their death falling from an aeroplane, the cause of the accident being unknown".
Rosemary Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower: On 9th August 1893 she was born to Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 4th Duke of Sutherland and Millicent Fanny St Clair-Erskine Duchess of Sutherland. On 8th March 1919 William Humble Eric Ward 3rd Earl of Dudley and she were married. She the daughter of Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 4th Duke of Sutherland and Millicent Fanny St Clair-Erskine Duchess of Sutherland. He the son of William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley. On 25th July 1930 an Memorial Service was held for Rosemary Millicent Sutherland-Leveson-Gower at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map].
George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 5th Duke of Sutherland: On 29th August 1888 he was born to Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 4th Duke of Sutherland and Millicent Fanny St Clair-Erskine Duchess of Sutherland. On 27th June 1913 Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 4th Duke of Sutherland died. His son George succeeded 5th Duke Sutherland, 23rd Earl Sutherland, 7th Earl Gower, 8th Baron Gower, 12th Baronet Gower of Stittenham in Yorkshire. On 26th September 1931 Elizabeth Demarest died. Her daughter Elizabeth Sutherland 24th Countess of Sutherland became a ward of her uncle George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 5th Duke of Sutherland. On 1st February 1963 George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower 5th Duke of Sutherland died. His third cousin once removed John succeeded 6th Duke Sutherland, 6th Marquess Stafford, 8th Earl Gower, 9th Baron Gower, 13th Baronet Gower of Stittenham in Yorkshire. Diana Evelyn Percy by marriage Duchess Sutherland.His niece Elizabeth succeeded 24th Countess Sutherland.
Memorials to the Mack family at St Margaret's Church, Paston [Map].
On 18th May 1933 Hugh Paston Mack died.
On 23rd December 1917 Lieutenant Commander Ralph Michael Mack (age 34) was killed in action when his destoyer Tornado was mined.
On 29th April 1943 Rear-Admiral Philip John Mack (age 50) died in a plane crash.
Hugh Paston Mack: On 22nd March 1828 he was born to John Mack of Paston Hall.
Lieutenant Commander Ralph Michael Mack: On 11th October 1883 he was born to Hugh Paston Mack.
Rear-Admiral Philip John Mack: On 6th October 1892 he was born to Major Philip Paston Mack. On 15th September 1905 Rear-Admiral Philip John Mack joined the Royal Navy as a naval cadet at the Osborne and Britannia Royal Naval Colleges. On 9th August 1910 Rear-Admiral Philip John Mack was posted to the battlecruiser Indomitable as a midshipman, transferring to the cruiser Amethyst on 15th July 1913 having been promoted to sub-lieutenant on 15th June 1913.
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In 1937 Lieutenant Thomas Sharon Fermor-Hesketh (age 27) died in a plane crash.
On 22nd March 1937 Mary Caurroy Tribe Duchess Bedford (age 71) died in a plane crash.
On 16th November 1937 Ludwig Hesse Darmstadt (age 6) died in a plane crash.
On 16th November 1937 Georg Donatus Hesse Darmstadt Grand Duke (age 31) died in a plane crash.
On 16th November 1937 Alexander Hesse Darmstadt (age 4) died in a plane crash.
On 24th February 1938 Terence Plunket 6th Baron Plunket (age 38) and Dorothé Mabel Lewis (age 38) died in a plane crash. They were bound for the Hearst ranch at San Simeon, now known as Hearst Castle. In the coastal fog surrounding the airstrip on the ranch, the pilot overshot the field by nearly a mile and a half. One wing struck the ground, causing the plane to burst into flames and crash. James Lawrence was the only survivor, having been thrown clear of the plane. He suffered burns and a broken ankle. Her son Patrick (age 14) succeeded 7th Baron Plunket of Newtown in County Cork.
On 25th August 1942 the Dunbeath Air Crash at Eagle's Rock [Map] near Dunbeath killed 14 of 15 passengers and crew, including Prince George, Duke of Kent, who was on duty as an Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force on a mission to Reykjavik. A Royal Air Force Board of Inquiry determined that the crash was the result of a navigational error by the crew.
Prince George Windsor 1st Duke Kent (age 39) died in a plane crashEdward Windsor 2nd Duke Kent (age 6) succeeded 2nd Duke Kent.
Also killed were:
Lt. John Crowther, RNVR Private Secretary.
LAC. John Walter Holes, Batman.
Flt Lt. Frank McKenzie Goyen, 42057 RAF, Captain (Pilot).
Wg Cdr. Thomas Lawton Moseley, 33064 RAF, CO of 228 Squadron, 1st pilot.
Pilot Officer Sydney Wood Smith, 403961 RAAF, 2nd pilot.
Pilot Officer George Richard Saunders, 126975 RAFVR, Navigator.
Pilot Officer Michael Strutt (age 28) J15062 RCAF, Air Gunner.
Flight Sargeant William Royston Jones 523047 RAF, Flight Mechanic Engineer / Air Gunner.
Flight Sargeant Charles Norman Lewis 517386 RAF, Airframe Fitter.
Flight Sargeant Ernest James Hewerdine 566884 RAF, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner.
Flight Sargeant Andrew Simpson Wilson Jack 970168 RAFVR, Air Gunner (Rear).
Sgt. Edward Francis Blacklock 405467 RNZAF, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner.
Sgt. Arthur Rowland Catt 1252994 RAFVR, Wireless Operator / Air Gunner.
Sgt. Leonard Edward Sweett 570678 RAF, Fitter.
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All About History Books
The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
On 6th September 1942 Bristol Beaufighter Mk IIF, 96 Sqn RAF, Registration T3046, crashed at takeoff in RAF Wrexham and hit a Blenheim. Flying Officer John Birkbeck (age 22) and Sergeant D L Nicholas were killed on active service.
Memorial in All Saints Church, West Acre [Map].
Flying Officer John Birkbeck: Around 1920 he was born to Major Henry Anthony Birkbeck.
On 18th September 1942 Bristol Beaufighter Mk IF of the 46 (Uganda) Squadron Royal Air Force (46 (Uganda) Sqn RAF) Registration X7707 crashed at Kafr el-Dawwar Ikyad whilst en-route to Cairo West Airfield. The crash was that both engines failed, and the stern frame separated from the fuselage when the pilot attempted to pull out of a spin and the plane crashed to the ground. There were five fatalities:
Crew:
F/O (102.155) Berkeley Day HOLME-SUMNER (pilot) RAFVR.
F/Sgt (1017142) Gordon NAYLOR (nav.) RAFVR.
Passengers
P/O (Aus416115) Colin Angel FRASER (pilot) RAAF - killed
F/Lt (61384) The Hon. George William RODNEY (age 23) (pilot) RAF. He was buried at the Alexandria Hadra War Cemetery in Egypt Plot 3. H. 14.
S/Ldr (38089) John Farrar SUTCLIFFE (Chaplain) RAF - killed.
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On 26th April 1944 Edward Dixon MacDonald (age 21) died in a plane crash. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Ennerdale Bridge. when Wellington III DF640 crashed following a failed landing. Took off Hixon for night circuit training, Landed 0134 hrs but bounced rather badly. The crew attempted to go round again, but their aircraft failed to gain height and flew into a hill, 250 feet above sea level and known locally as Weston Bank, near the airfield, bursting into flames on impact amongst some trees. Norman Albert Roberts Mousdell and Harold Desmond Purbrick were also killed.
On 9th October 1945 Ronald Arthur Somerset Gough-Calthorpe 9th Baron Calthorpe (age 21) died in a plane crash. His brother Peter (age 18) succeeded 10th Baron Calthorpe of Calthorpe in Norfolk, 11th Gough-Calthorpe of Edgbaston in Warwickshire.
His Mustang III (Serial: HB867) was one of six aircraft from the squadron took off from RAF Horsham at 14:30 hrs on an interception exercise with 65 Squadron. They intercepted at about 20,000 ft near Cromer. A general 'dog-fight' then took place. After which the leader called over the R/T to reform. A couple of minutes prior to the accident two or more aircraft were seen to be 'dog-fighting' at about 10,000 ft. over the area of Blythburgh. (witnesses on the ground confirm this and that they saw these aircraft were flying together and that they were executing violent manoeuvres for several minutes) One of the aircraft was then seen to begin a dive as if to try and catch up with another aircraft ahead of it - both were travelling very fast. The diving aircraft instead of pulling out gradually steepened its dive until it was probably over the vertical. It quickly gained enormous speed and one witness declared that as it is descended. it was executing an aileron turn to its right. It then struck the ground near the Blythburgh Poor Law Institute. Engine at full power it exploded on impact and caught fire.
On 3rd December 1946 Richard Hugh Barlow 6th Baronet (age 42) died in a plane crash near Quito, Ecuador. His son Christopher (age 17) succeeded 7th Baronet Barlow of Fort William in Bengal.
On 26th January 1947 Prince Gustaf Adolf Bernadotte (age 40) died in a plane crash at Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen, Denmark. The prince, along with two companions, was returning to Stockholm from a hunting trip and visit to Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. The delayed KLM flight from Amsterdam had landed at Copenhagen for a routine stop before continuing to Stockholm. Soon after the Douglas DC-3 aircraft took off, it climbed to an altitude of about 50 meters, stalled, and plummeted nose-first to the ground, where it exploded on impact. All 22 people aboard the plane (16 passengers and six crew members) were killed. Also aboard the ill-fated flight was American singer and actress Grace Moore and Danish actress Gerda Neumann. An investigation found that an inexperienced young employee had serviced the aircraft and, short of time, the plane's captain had failed to perform the final pre-flight check list properly. He took off not realizing that elevator locking pins were still in place.
On 13th May 1948 Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy (age 28) and William Henry Lawrence Peter Wentworth-Fitzwilliam 8th and 6th Earl Fitzwilliam (age 37) died in a plane crash at the Plateau du Coiron, Saint-Bauzile during the course of their journey from Paris [Map] to the French Riviera for a vacation aboard a de Havilland DH.104 Dove.. His first cousin once removed Eric (age 64) succeeded 9th Earl Fitzwilliam, 7th Earl Fitzwilliam, 11th Baron Fitzwilliam of Liffer in Donegal. His wealth, estimated at 45 million pounds, including half of the Wentworth Woodhouse estate, the Coolattin estate in County Wicklow, Ireland, and a large part of the Fitzwilliam art collection went to his daughter Ann Juliet Dorothea Maud Wentworth-Fitzwilliam Marchioness Bristol (age 13).