The aircraft which force landed in the Whitby area. My thanks to Mr J Rutland for this photograph.
On the 2nd of September 1915 this aircraft force-landed somewhere near Whitby, the crew were described
as "Safe". The aircraft was repaired.
The aircraft was built by Beardmore & Co. at Dalmuir and delivered to RNAS Redcar on 31st July 1915. It moved to RNAS Scarborough on
25th August 1915 but was back at Redcar on 27th August. Following the incident above it was repaired although there is no indication of
where this happened. It was back at RNAS Scarborough on 8th November 1915 and moved to RNAS Atwick/Hornsea on 11th November but was back
at Scarborough on three days later. It transferred to RNAS Redcar the following day, 15th November where it remained until
being transferred to RNAS Cranwell on 26th May 1917. It was deleted from charge on 2nd November 1917.
Pilot - Sqdn Cdr Charles E H (Harry) Rathborne , ok.
Obs - F/Lt Charles B Dalison, ok.
Aug 1903: Officer - 2nd Lt, Royal Marine Light Infantry.
15 Aug 1912: Flight Commander, Felixstowe NAS.
17 Aug 1912: Attended Central Flying School.
15 Apr 1913: Flight Commander, Felixstowe NAS.
1 July 1914: Made a Lt.
1 Sept 1914: Made a Flt Cdr.
31 Dec 1914: Made a (T)Major and a Squadron Commander, RNAS.
1915: Officer Commanding at RNAS Redcar.
1915: Officer Commanding, ? Sqn, No 1 Wing, Dunkirk.
30 Jun 1916: Supernumerary Captain, absorbed into establishment of RMLI.
31 Dec 1916: He was made a Wing Commander.
30 Jan 1917: Officer Commanding - Flying Operations, No 3 Wing RNAS.?
Apr 1917: Prisoner of War.
Jul 1918: Served in France.
18 Dec 1918: Officer Commanding, No 68 (Operations) Wing.
Unknown: Officer Commanding, RAF Isle of Grain.
1 Aug 1919: Commission in the RMLI terminated
1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant Colonel.
1920: Officer Commanding - Flying, HMS Argus.
1 Apr 1920: Air Staff, HQ Coastal Area.
10 Sep 1923: Commandant, M.A.E.E.
22 Sep 1925: Officer Commanding, RAF Basrah.
13 May 1927: Supernumerary, RAF Depot.
Unknown - 10 Oct 1927: Placed on half pay.
25 Oct 1927: Officer Commanding, RAF Upper Heyford.
1 Jan 1931: Made an Air Commadore.
22 Sep 1930: Chief Staff Officer, HQ Inland Area.
22 Jan 1932: AOC, RAF Mediterranean.
1 Mar 1932: Appointment confirmed as a Member of the Nominated Council of Malta.
1 - 13 Oct 1935: Placed on half pay list, scale A.
1936: Deputy Commandant, Southern Area, Observer Corps.
1943: London Industrial Alarm Controller (Central and East London Area).
He retired from the RAF on 13 Oct 1935 and died on 21 Dec 1943.
He was a graduate of the first course held at the CFS in April 1913. Flying back to Felixstowe in Maurice Farman,
'115' on 22 July 1914 but due to engine problems he had to land at Worthing, the aircraft overturned on
landing and was wrecked, both he and Telegraphist, Striling had to be rescued by boat. On 16 May 1915, he attacked a
U-boat five miles off Middelkerke, he dropped two 20lb bombs without effect.
Having been promoted to Lt Colonel he was awarded the DSO for a bombing attack against Freiburg on 14 April 1917, during this
he was shot down during and captured. However in July 1918, he managed to escape from the camp at Holzminden and
returned to the British lines, for which he was awarded a Bar to his DSO.
On September 6, 1914, Flight Commander C. E. Rathborne of
the Felixstowe Naval Air Station, Suffolk, returned from an early morning
patrol in his seaplane to make perhaps the first report of a UFO by a
military officer. "At 5:35 AM, whilst on patrol, I sighted an airship
steering south-southeast, with a silver-colored envelope on the horizon while
flying at 1,300 feet, 27 miles south of Orfordness."
S/Cdr C.E.H. Rathborne also crashed Bristol Boxkite 8448 at Redcar on 9th December 1915.
Most of this information was found on another website but the original information is to be found in the public domain.
On the 19th of August 1915 Fl/Lt Dalison was injured in a BE2C crash near Middlebrough. Charles Beauvoir Dalison was born in 1894,
and had a long flying career between 1914 and 1939. He attended No 3 Flying Training School, RAF, 1929-1933; served with No 10 (Bomber) Sqdn,
1933-1934, at RAF Depot, Middle East, 1934-1937, and with No 25 (Armament) Group, RAF Station, Eastchurch, 1938-1939.
Charles Edward Henry Rathborne was born 17 Feb 1886, he was to have a long career in the Military, is reads as such...