Aircraft Crash at Castlebar in Aug 1920

[corisande]

I am trying to find out more about the aircraft crash in Castlebar in August 1920 killing Major Chads and injuring Lt Dimmocks

I have information including what local press I could find on clicking this link

However very little has been reported, nothing about the type of aircraft or what happened. I cannot find what happened to the pilot, he seems to have survived in as much as his death is not that I can find in GRO

There is apparently a memorial in Castlebar C of I, but I am not sure if it is still there

The novelty of an aircraft crash at that time must have made more ripples. Anybody add anything?

[ShaunJ]

The pilot may have been Norman Herford Dimmock AFC.  He was a pilot in the RFC and stayed with the RAF after the war.  His WW1 MIC gives an address of 27 West Hill Highgate, which ties in with the newspaper reports. 

[shanew147]

There's a post on the FlyingIreland forum which mentions a detachment of Bristol F2b Fighters from 105 Sqn being posted to Castlebar in early July 1920... maybe it was one of these planes - what squadron was Lt. Dimmocks in ?

  http://www.flyinginireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2766

  Bristol F2 Fighter  (Wikipedia)


Shane

[corisande]

Thanks, I am sure you are right there - it always helps to have all the facts straight.

Local papers are very good but sometimes like here don't get names quite right (eg Chadz rather than Chads, and Dimmocks and Dimmocken)

[corisande]

Thanks Shane,

that gives me a lot to work on. I have now  posted on the Great War Forum, Air sub forum as there is mention there of 5 crashes at Castlebar, and someone will confirm the aircraft type

I don't know what squadron Dimmock was with but the specialists should be able to say.

[IMBER]

 Have you seen his CWGC details?  Army it appears rather than RAF.

[corisande]

Imber

 I am not sure if you have not followed the link to Major Chads, where
you can see that he has an army record all the way _ I havc never suggest he was RAF, he was just the passenger

Or to Dimmock who was the pilot and his MIC shows RAF

[IMBER]

My mistake - I missed the link. However, my main intent was to highlight the record of the CWGC commemoration.