Netherthorpe Airfield
613 (City of Manchester) Sqn.
To the memory of P/O G L Edmonds who crashed and died on this airfield 13/9/1940 P/O Edmonds was the first officer fatality with 613 Sqn. Erected by 1325 Sqn ATC The plaque was erected in September 1993 when there was a flypast of four Bulldog aircraft from RAF Finningley. |
Additional Details
Grosvenor Louis Edmonds (41565)
Royal Air Force - 613 Sqdn.
13 September 1940, aged 23
Died of injuries sustained in a landing accident when his Lysander aircraft collided with a lorry.
Worksop (Retford Road) Cemetery
Royal Air Force - 613 Sqdn.
13 September 1940, aged 23
Died of injuries sustained in a landing accident when his Lysander aircraft collided with a lorry.
Worksop (Retford Road) Cemetery
Grosvenor Louis Edmonds - 41565
Grosvenor Louis Edmonds was the first of eight children born to Louis Adolphus Edmonds and Charlotte Louisa (nee Harrrison) of Shepperton, Middlesex. His birth
was registered in the third quarter of 1917 in Staines. His father had an estate agents business in Shepperton.
His brother John enlisted in the RAF and went on to fly the Hurricane fighter. Grosvenor Louis followed his brother and in 1938 he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. The Air Ministry published in the London Gazette confirmation of him being granted a short service commission as Acting Pilot Officer on probation as of 14th January 1939. He was given service number 41565 and gained his wings via the Flying Training School at RAF Hullavington, Wiltshire on 12 May 1939. His full rank of Pilot Officer was confirmed on 12th December 1939. He was posted to 613 squadron, converted to the Hawker Hector and soon after to the Lysander. On 25 May 1940 the squadron was based as Hawinge and he was pilot of one of six planes that dive bombed gun positions near Calais.
The advance air party of three Lysanders including Edmonds' landed at Netherthorpe, a small former civilian airfield, on 28 June 1940. By this time he had nearly 400 flying hours, and was then promoted to Flying Officer on 3rd September 1940. On 6 September 1940 he was the pilot of Lysander P1692 which had carried out a photographic reconnaissance task. He was flying with his normal air gunner Sgt Letham and was coming in to land around mid-morning. The conditions were calm and he made a low approach onto the runway. He was concentrating on the left side of the aircraft and did not notice an RAF lorry which had encroached onto the landing area from the right hand side. The driver and his mate had not noticed the aircraft which then hit the hoops of the lorry, which are used to hold up the canvas roof, with its undercarriage.
Leading aircraftman Terry Bird later stated' I was in one of the gun pits when it happened. The Lysander hit the lorry broadside on, immediately after the crash the whole thing caught fire'. The gunner, Sgt Letham managed to escape but Edmonds had to be rescued by two RAF ground crew. He was taken to Worksop's Victoria Hospital with third-degree burns to his legs. At the time tannic acid was the normal method of treating severe burns. It was later discovered that this could allow septicaemia to set in and few actually survived the experience. Grosvenor Louis Edmonds died of his injuries in the early hours of 13 September 1940, aged 23. A full military funeral took place at Worksop (Retford Road) Cemetery three days later.
A court of enquiry was held into Edmonds’ crash and concluded that he had over-concentrated on the left hand side of the aircraft whilst the lorry appeared from the right. The drivers’ mate was held partly responsible for not warning the driver of the approaching aircraft. The report concluded ‘no disciplinary action – personnel concerned had learnt their lessons.’
Notes
There are suggestions that the lorry driver was also killed, his identity has not been confirmed.
His brother, F/O John Dudley Edmonds RAF (39971) had been killed three months previously when on 7th June 1940 his Hurricane aircraft crashed in France.
LAC Richard John Farley RAF (158305) and AC1 Thomas William Coop RAF (820067) were the RAF ground crew who recued Edmonds from the flames. They were later awarded the George Medal. Their citation reads: "In September 1940 an aircraft crashed on an aerodrome and immediately burst into flames. Aircraftman Coop promptly ran to the burning aircraft and endeavoured to extricate the pilot. In spite of the flames, and regardless of the additional danger from exploding ammunition, Leading Aircraftman Farley unhesitatingly ran to his assistance and, plunging his arms into the blazing cockpit, released the legs of the pilot, who was apparently stunned and whose clothes were in flames. Between them the airmen carried him to a safe distance, thereby saving him from certain death. In spite of superficial burns on arms and legs Leading Aircraftman Farley returned to his normal duties. By their action these two airmen showed great courage and complete disregard for their personal safety. Unfortunately the pilot later succumbed to his injuries."
was registered in the third quarter of 1917 in Staines. His father had an estate agents business in Shepperton.
His brother John enlisted in the RAF and went on to fly the Hurricane fighter. Grosvenor Louis followed his brother and in 1938 he enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. The Air Ministry published in the London Gazette confirmation of him being granted a short service commission as Acting Pilot Officer on probation as of 14th January 1939. He was given service number 41565 and gained his wings via the Flying Training School at RAF Hullavington, Wiltshire on 12 May 1939. His full rank of Pilot Officer was confirmed on 12th December 1939. He was posted to 613 squadron, converted to the Hawker Hector and soon after to the Lysander. On 25 May 1940 the squadron was based as Hawinge and he was pilot of one of six planes that dive bombed gun positions near Calais.
The advance air party of three Lysanders including Edmonds' landed at Netherthorpe, a small former civilian airfield, on 28 June 1940. By this time he had nearly 400 flying hours, and was then promoted to Flying Officer on 3rd September 1940. On 6 September 1940 he was the pilot of Lysander P1692 which had carried out a photographic reconnaissance task. He was flying with his normal air gunner Sgt Letham and was coming in to land around mid-morning. The conditions were calm and he made a low approach onto the runway. He was concentrating on the left side of the aircraft and did not notice an RAF lorry which had encroached onto the landing area from the right hand side. The driver and his mate had not noticed the aircraft which then hit the hoops of the lorry, which are used to hold up the canvas roof, with its undercarriage.
Leading aircraftman Terry Bird later stated' I was in one of the gun pits when it happened. The Lysander hit the lorry broadside on, immediately after the crash the whole thing caught fire'. The gunner, Sgt Letham managed to escape but Edmonds had to be rescued by two RAF ground crew. He was taken to Worksop's Victoria Hospital with third-degree burns to his legs. At the time tannic acid was the normal method of treating severe burns. It was later discovered that this could allow septicaemia to set in and few actually survived the experience. Grosvenor Louis Edmonds died of his injuries in the early hours of 13 September 1940, aged 23. A full military funeral took place at Worksop (Retford Road) Cemetery three days later.
A court of enquiry was held into Edmonds’ crash and concluded that he had over-concentrated on the left hand side of the aircraft whilst the lorry appeared from the right. The drivers’ mate was held partly responsible for not warning the driver of the approaching aircraft. The report concluded ‘no disciplinary action – personnel concerned had learnt their lessons.’
Notes
There are suggestions that the lorry driver was also killed, his identity has not been confirmed.
His brother, F/O John Dudley Edmonds RAF (39971) had been killed three months previously when on 7th June 1940 his Hurricane aircraft crashed in France.
LAC Richard John Farley RAF (158305) and AC1 Thomas William Coop RAF (820067) were the RAF ground crew who recued Edmonds from the flames. They were later awarded the George Medal. Their citation reads: "In September 1940 an aircraft crashed on an aerodrome and immediately burst into flames. Aircraftman Coop promptly ran to the burning aircraft and endeavoured to extricate the pilot. In spite of the flames, and regardless of the additional danger from exploding ammunition, Leading Aircraftman Farley unhesitatingly ran to his assistance and, plunging his arms into the blazing cockpit, released the legs of the pilot, who was apparently stunned and whose clothes were in flames. Between them the airmen carried him to a safe distance, thereby saving him from certain death. In spite of superficial burns on arms and legs Leading Aircraftman Farley returned to his normal duties. By their action these two airmen showed great courage and complete disregard for their personal safety. Unfortunately the pilot later succumbed to his injuries."