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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: elisabeth1 on Sunday 12 January 14 18:45 GMT (UK)

Title: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: elisabeth1 on Sunday 12 January 14 18:45 GMT (UK)

I am interested in finding out the name and any other details of a pilot who crashed into the Rolla Royce Factory in January 1939. I am unable to fine anything other than a brief news report that gives no detail.

Title: Re: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: cath151 on Sunday 12 January 14 18:53 GMT (UK)

Hi,
There are a few newspaper reports of the crash on January 3rd 1939 naming him as George Anthony Bell aged 21 from Byways, Wooler, Northumberland.
Cathy

Title: Re: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: cath151 on Sunday 12 January 14 19:32 GMT (UK)

There is a small piece about him here
http://www.lorettoniansociety.org.uk/memorial/ww2/biog30.htm
Cathy

Title: Re: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: rafcommands on Sunday 12 January 14 21:29 GMT (UK)

Solo cross country flight in Magister L8329 from No.30 EFTS.

Regards
Ross

Title: Re: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: t mo on Sunday 12 January 14 22:01 GMT (UK)

hi
In find my past newspaper records as has been said George was on a solo flight after picking up the miles magister from Waddington lincs when flying over  the derby works the plane lost height whilst circling around before crashing into the blue print offices some workers were injured but no deaths accorded apart from George  at the inquest the pathologist who carried out the pm said he died from compound fractures of the skull and lacerations of the brain  , accidental death was recorded by the coroner .

the record isn,t the full inquest record what is there was in the daily telegraph of Wednesday the 4 January 1939 so it would be worthwhile getting in touch with the telegraph to see if they have a full report in there archives .
hope this helps .
trevor

Title: Re: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: elisabeth1 on Friday 17 January 14 22:51 GMT (UK)

Thank you so much to everyone who posted replies. This has been very very helpful.
Ruth

Title: Re: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: ennael on Saturday 18 January 14 01:30 GMT (UK)

Hi,
  Although the reports do not go into much detail, the incident was also reported in Australian papers:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/result?q=plane+rolls+royce&l-decade=193&l-year=1939&l-month=01

Leanne

Title: Re: plane crash January 1939 Rolls Royce Factory Derby
Post by: elisabeth1 on Saturday 18 January 14 09:38 GMT (UK)

Thank you Leanne. My mother was engaged to George Bell the pilot at the time and of course hus death changed the course of her life. She always spoke fondly of him and with great sadness. I just felt that I wanted to know more about him and his life and wish I had asked my mother more before she died.
Ruth