Weymouth College
WEYMOUTH COLLEGE: Temporary Landing Ground
Location: Near the centre of Weymouth town
Period of operation: 25th August 1912
NOTE: The information came from an article published in the Gloucester Journal on the 31st August 1912 which is reproduced below.
Having read this several times, clearly one of the most amazing things in aviation history occurred that day. And of course, with the proof being published in the press - who can possibly doubt it? And to think, some people regard me as being cynical.
The article states that Captain Fox of the Army Aeroplane Corps, departed from Salisbury Plain on a Farman B.E.Q monoplane - a type I have never heard of and cannot trace. Then, incredibly, at some point between Weymouth and Monmouth it morphed into a huge biplane! See my listing for MONMOUTH for a photograph, which I think is a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2? Not exactly very large, let alone 'a giant'?
NOTES: These six items have been kindly sent by Mr Mike Holder, a great friend of this 'Guide', and are a great illustration of how, so very often, the nature of an old flying site can change really quite dramatically, even in a few years, let alone a century, especially when near a town. The main exceptions being when a public park was being used, and, over the many years of researching this 'Guide', I have been surprised, (should I?), as to how many have been protected.
Another aspect of history that has interested me, is how in the days even before WW2, so many pilots landed somewhere without permission. No doubt difficult if not impossible to arrange of course. Mind you, even today for obvious reasons, an emergency landing can be made anywhere. Save life and limb, even the aeroplane if possible, and sort out the consequences afterwards.
In those far off days, as often as not, an unexpected landing was greeted with a welcome and much help and hospitality, rather than the land owner reaching for a telephone to call the local constabulary - and/or a shotgun. Another feature of these things happening was, usually, just how quickly a large crowd could gather - easily within an hour or two. The local verbal 'grapevine' being astonishingly effective.
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
