On the Saturday the 27th of August 1931 the pilot of this aircraft (for as yet reasons unknown) was flying over North Yorkshire when the
aircraft suffered a fractured fuel pipe in mid flight. The pilot left with no option but to force land the aircraft did so in a field
1/4 mile west of Hawnby, the aircraft was damaged slightly but the pilot was unhurt.
Pilot - F/O George F Whitsondale RAF, ok.
The pilot was commisioned on 11th December 1926 and promoted to F/O on 11 June 1928. A year after this incident at Hawnby he was involved
in another incident whilst stationed overseas and had to bale out. He became a F/Lt on 1 February 1934 and was promoted
to Sqdn Ldr on 1 August 1938. He was still a Sqdn Ldr on 1 October 1940 but was sadly lost on 1 March 1942 serving as a G/C in Singapore, he has no known grave and is
Commemerated on the Singapore Memorial.
On the 6th July 1931 George Whitsondale was serving with 450 Flt, attached to HMS Courageous, he and his crew, Sgt T R Law (Obs) and
AC1 E Nicholls were undertaking a flight when the aircraft suffered an engine failure, he
force landed the aircraft near Driffield but the aircraft overturned. None were thought to have been seriously injured.
The aircraft was later damaged (but repaired again; not written off as is given in one source) in a ground accident on the 1st of July 1932. It struck parked Sidestrand
J9770 whilst taxiing at Catfoss. The aircarft was with 450 (Fleet Reconnaissance ) Flight attached to HMS Courageous.