Llanfairynghornwy
LLANFAIRYNGHORNWY: Temporary Landing Ground
Operated by: Mr Robert Loraine
Location: Roughly, 2nm SW of Tregele, 7nm NE of Holyhead town centre. It appears not known today exactly where he landed?
Period of operation: The 10th perhaps, (after arriving?), but certainly the 11th August 1910
The photo was scanned from The History of British Aviation, 1908 to 1914, by R Dallas Brett. I do not know where this picture was taken. The local area view is from my Google Earth © derived database.
NOTES: Robert Loraine was, in those days, a very well known actor and had gained his pilots licence the previous year. It appears that whilst participating in an aviation event in Blackpool, (before or just after?), he decided to fly across the Irish Sea to Dublin. In those days and for years after, a most daring and hazardous adventure at best. For most modern pilots of light aircraft, probably, regarded as being nigh on suicidal? A view I share having flown across the Irish Sea which really is not an area of 'ocean' to be taken lightly, especially if a ditching has to be made.
The flight did not go well from the outset and he made a forced landing at RHOS-on-SEA, roughly between Colwyn Bay and Llandudno. (See seperate listing). His unannounced arrival there creating quite a sensation. I have not been able to date (2024) to determine the exact sequence of events, but expect he resolved his problems at RHOS-on-SEA before flying on to land here on the 10th?
He has since gained much fame for being the first British pilot to fly across the Irish Sea, except that he didn't make landfall, ditching in the sea very close to the coast at Howth Head just north-east of Dublin. He survived thankfully.
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