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Aerospace Bristol is paying tribute to 42 former employees who lost their lives in flying accidents between 1910 and 1960 and is appealing for help to trace the families of these aviation pioneers.
A new memorial will honour the bravery of pilots and flight test engineers from the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company and the Bristol Aeroplane Company who gave their lives to achieve today’s high level of aviation safety.
The story begins in 1912 with pilot Hotchkiss’ fatal wing failure, through to wartime accidents in Blenheim and Beaufort aircraft, and includes the 1957 Downend disaster when 14 people tragically lost their lives.
The memorial will be unveiled at a ceremony on 6 November – the anniversary of the Britannia 301 G-ANCA crash in Downend – to honour the bravery of those who gave their lives for the progress of aviation safety.
Sally Cordwell, CEO of Aerospace Bristol, said: “The memorial is a tribute to the courage and dedication of those who helped pave the way for the aviation achievements we all benefit from today.
“We want to hear from the families and friends of those we honor so they can be part of our remembrance and are urging anyone with information to get in touch.”
Aerospace Bristol is encouraging anyone who may know of, or be connected to, those who lost their lives to contact adam.jones@aerospacebristol.org by the end of October and the stories can be preserved for future generations.
A full list of names and dates of death is below and on Aerospace Bristol’s website www.aerospacebristol.org/aviation-heroes