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Stanley Officer’s Fatal Flying Accident


Report of death of Lieutenant John Edward Greenwell


Lieut. Greenwell
Stanley Officer’s Fatal Flying Accident

The Funeral
Quite a gloom was cast over the district when the news became known last week that Flight Lieut. J. E. Greenwell, R. A. F., only son of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Greenwell, of “Dene View,” 12, Burnhill, Stanley, had met his death in a deplorable sea plane accident on the evening of Tuesday, 16 July.
Not only are the sorely-stricken parents among the most-respected members of our little community, but the deceased officer himself; who had seemingly entered on a most promising career in H. M. Forces, was generally esteemed far and wide. He was a local journalist prior to his enlistment.

On His 23rd Birthday
A fine specimen of British manhood, and looking the picture of health, he was at home only as recently as the previous Sunday to Friday, having arrived unexpectedly from Calshot, and left on his 23rd birthday to report at Newhaven, where he was practically commencing his active service in the seaplane department of that now most important branch of the service, the Royal Air Force.

For young Greenwell, originally belonging to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, having enlisted on 31 Dec., 1914, and so being one of the first to voluntarily answer the call for King and country. He left his home on 11 January following, and after a few months’ training at Crystal Palace and Blandford with the Royal Naval Division, was granted a commission as sub lieutenant on 13 July, 1915. On 9 Sept., he left England for the Dardanelles, and saw service at Gallipoli, also spending some time in hospital in Malta, and on the Island of Lemnos.

Lieut. Greenwell was then sent to France, where he was wounded on 13. Nov., 1916, and for a time had to remain in hospital, also doing good service in charge of recruits at Blandford. He then decided to join the Air Service, and was trained at Greenwich College, and also went to France with aeroplanes, but, returning to England, took up seaplanes, passing through at Calshot, and being first at Newhaven on small boats, and then being sent back to Calshot to train on bigger craft. He had probably only been at Newhaven a day or so when the end accident occurred for his parents had not had a letter from him since.

A Great Shock
As events proved, they were destined never to receive another. Yet, anticipating no evil, the telegram announcing their son’s terrible fate was naturally a most severe shock, the more so as no details were forthcoming. All that is known, indeed, may perhaps be best expressed by quoting the following letter received from Major T. Beauman, the officer commanding the R.A.F. seaplane station at Newhaven, who wrote under date 19 July:-
I am writing to express to you my sincerest sympathy on the sad loss you have just sustained. Your son was killed through the machine he was flying striking a house on the shore near the seaplane station – an accident that might have happened to anyone. I thought you would like to hear that your son’s body was conveyed to Newhaven railway Station to-day with full naval, military, and air-force honours, and that all units in the district were represented. Your son had only been a short time at the air station, and had not had an opportunity to do any patrolling before the accident, but he was already very popular with his brother officers, who join me in the expression of condolence.

“Deserve: a Better Fate.”
Newhaven is a closed town. i.e., no one is allowed there without a military permit, and no inquest was held, writes the editor of “The Newhaven Chronicle (Mr. T. I. Price), who kindly furnished some brief particulars, truly saying that young Greenwell “deserved a better fate.”

The body was brought home at noon on Saturday, and the funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, in the presence of a large concourse of the inhabitants of Stanley, who gathered by their hundreds to thus pay a last tribute of sympathy and regard to one of their own lads, who for three and a half years had done valiant service for his King, and for them…

Date: 25-Jul-1918

Author: Stanley News

Reference: D/WP 4/42 Microfilm Reference: M61/42

Where to find this: Durham County Records Office

Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham

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