Bleriot at Scarborough Racecourse.
This photograph was taken minutes before the accident at Scarborough. In the front is Henri Salmet, at the back is Mr H Dell.
On the Thursday the 28th of August 1913, well known French aviator M. Henri Salmet was giving exhibitions of flying from the
racecourse at Scarborough as part of the Daily Mail Tour. He had done this without incident on the two previous days with passengers on board.
On this day he had done the same, begining flights at about 15.15hrs. On this flight in question he had taken up a passenger and
they had done a lap of the racecourse, he then reached the end of the course where he had previously made an
upwards turn and turned round to return to the crowd massed on the racecourse. On this occasion he kept very low to the
ground, as he passed some bushes two ladies were spotted near these bushes who were not supposed to have been there.
The pilot had to take action to avoid them by turning to one side, by doing this he struck the bushes and crashed. The
aircraft was seriously damaged on its wing and had a wheel broken. The two in the aircraft were unhurt. The pilot blamed the
two ladies for the crash, they should not have been where they were.
The aircraft was dismantled and damage was put at about £200. The pilot was to give futher demonstrations at Hedon, near Hull
which was the next point on the Daily Mail Tour.
Pilot - Mr Henri Salmet, ok.
Passenger - Mr H Dell, ok.
Henri Salmet (photograph found in Flight magazines website archive).
Previously Mr Salmet had given rides to people over the town and bay, those included Mr F W Plaxton, Mrs Paton, Miss Thompson,
Mr R S Brogden, Mr W H L Wordsworth (of Scalby) on the afternoon of the crash, during the morning Miss Clara Laverick (aged 12)
and Miss Gladys Friezen were given rides. Entertainer Mr Will Catlin was next for a ride, but after the crash
flights were stopped for the day. On the evening of the crash Mr Salmet took dinner at the Grand Hotel, where he
recieved a "great ovation".
It is thought that Henri Salmet lost his life during the First World War. No further details are known about him.