Published in Windlesora 34
©2018, WLHG
The World War One started just over ten years after the first powered aircraft flight in December 1903, by the Wright brothers. In 1914, aircraft were still very basic and had never been considered for anything other than reconnaissance and reporting on enemy troop movements and dispositions. Pilots carried revolvers to fire at German aircraft that got too close, but soon aircraft on both sides were fitted with machine-guns. Training of pilots for the Royal Flying Corps was rushed, and the short training period was often as dangerous as being in combat. Almost as many British pilots died in accidents caused by equipment failure, pilot error, bad weather, and so forth, than from dogfights with German aircraft. At one point, the combination of accidents and enemy action meant that the life expectancy of a British pilot was, on average, just eleven days.
A report in the Windsor, Eton & Slough Express of 23 February 1918, told of a ‘flying machine accident’ at Eton that ended with the aircraft landing on the roof of the fire station. Fortunately the pilot escaped with just a few bruises.
On Sunday morning last [17 February], Captain H H Monck MC, Royal Flying Corps, and Captain Parker MC, RFC, flew from Gosport to Eton on two two-seater biplanes [thought to be DH9 aircraft]. They landed in South Meadow and went to the College for lunch. They returned to South Meadow at about 3 o’clock, and a large crowd (including many hundreds of Eton boys) assembled to see them start off on their return journey. Captain Parker got away first and Captain Monck started directly afterwards. In ascending, however, his propeller caught a couple of telephone wires at the back of Dr Amsler’s house, and a wing of the machine collided with a willow tree in the Doctor’s garden. Captain Monck was unable to control the biplane, which crashed down on the roof of Eton Fire Station, a part of the machine also knocking some tiles off the adjoining house of Mr W A Nelson, saddler. A quantity of glass over his workshop was also broken.
Mr R Harnish, Resident Engineer at Eton Fire Station, and his son… at once went to the assistance of Captain Monck, and were surprised to find that he had only bruised his nose slightly. The machine, however, was badly smashed, and wedged on the flat roof between the station house and Mr Nelson’s premises. Captain Monck, who had had a very remarkable escape, was able to step out on to the flat roof and descend into the Fire Station, where Dr Amsler and Dr Norris attended to his slight injuries.
Meanwhile, Captain Parker had returned to South Meadow after he discovered that Captain Monck was not following him. The petrol tank of the damaged machine was emptied and the contents taken to Captain Parker’s machine. Captain Monck then joined his companion, and at about 4.30 they started off together in the undamaged biplane for Gosport amid the cheers of the hundreds who had gathered in South Meadow.
The roof and one of the walls of the Fire Station were badly damaged in places, and a quantity of glass broken. Mr Nelson’s premises also suffered a good deal of damage. A party of 2nd Life Guards arrived to guard the damaged machine, and later a detachment of the Royal Flying Corps took over the duties from them. The damaged machine presented a curious spectacle as it lay across the roof, and a great many people went to Eton to see it on Monday. Everyone was surprised at Captain Monck getting off so lightly, and his escape was certainly a very providential one. Had he been in the front seat instead of the back seat he must have been badly injured. The machine was taken down on Tuesday from its perilous position. Inspector Heath and a constable were on South Meadow at the time, and kept the crowd away from the machines.
Captain Harold Henry de Baillon Monk was born in June 1894, the son of Lt Col Charles Monk and the Vicomtess de Baillon. He was educated at Eton College and volunteered for the Army at the beginning of the First World War. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in The King’s Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) in September 1914 and posted with his regiment to France in July 1915. He was awarded the Military Cross for recovering the body of his company commander who had been killed close to the German wire; this was gazetted in January 1916.
After being wounded at Iper (Ypres) in July 1916 he was attached to a KRRC training battalion in the UK. He applied to join the Royal Flying Corps, becoming a flying officer (Temporary Captain) in October 1917. He saw active service, was wounded in action and was mentioned in despatches. Monk survived the war and is thought to have left the newly formed Royal Air Force in 1919. At the time of the 1939 Register, he was a company director living in Chelsea, London.
Without the initials or first name of Captain Parker, it has not been possible to identify this officer. It is likely that he and Captain Monk were both Old Etonians.
This photograph shows Monk climbing into DH.9 4244; it bears an inscription stating that it was taken before he crashed the aircraft at Eton. The badge of the KRRC can be seen on the engine cowling behind the propeller.
Derek Hunt
Notes
- The story was also reported in the Reading Mercury of 23 February 1918.
- The officer’s name was Monk, not Monck. Both newspapers used the wrong spelling.
Sources
- Windsor, Eton & Slough Express
- Findmypast.co.uk
Windsor Local History Group 