Date:	Wednesday 30 August 1939
Time:	day
Type:	Miles Magister Mk I
Owner/operator:	19 ERFTS RAF
Registration:	L8214
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Southlands Avenue, Lowfield Heath, Horley, Surrey -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Gatwick, Horley, Surrey
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Miles Magister I L8214, 19 ERFTS, RAF Gatwick, Lowfield Heath, Horley, Surrey: Written off (destroyed) 30.8.39 when spun out of control and crashed at Southlands Avenue, Lowfield Heath, Horley, Surrey. Both crew killed:

Flight Sgt Thomas Richard Watkin Owens (Instructor Pilot, aged 30)
Mr Roger John Gillingham (Pupil Pilot Under Instruction, aged 21)

Roger John Gillingham is buried in Horley New Churchyard, Horley, Surrey, not far from Gatwick Airport. According to the inscription on his gravestone he was from Fairlie, New Zealand and was 'Killed in training 30 August 1939'. Although no rank is shown the inscription gives 'R.A.F.' after his name.

According to a contemporary local newspaper report (Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser - Friday 1 September 1939)

"TWO KILLED IN AIR CRASH AT HORLEY.
R.A.F. SERGEANT FROM LOWFIELD HEATH AND NEW ZEALAND PUPIL PILOT.
Two men were killed when an aeroplane from the Gatwick Airport crashed into a field adjoining Southlands-avenue, Horley, at about 4 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon.

They were Thomas Richard Watkins Owen, a Flight-Sergt. of the Royal Air Force, whose home address is 5, Church-road, Lowfield Heath; and Pupil-Pilot Roger John Gillingham, of South Canterbury, New Zealand.

The machine was completely wrecked, and it is thought both men were killed instantly.

Police arrived on the scene within a few minutes of the crash, and remained on duty at the wreckage until they were relieved by an R.A.F. guard from Biggin Hill.

The County Coroner (Mr. G. Wills Taylor) is holding an inquest on the two men at the Church Room, Horley, this (Friday) afternoon."

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-N9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain. 1983)
2. Nottingham Journal - Thursday 31 August 1939
3. Londonderry Sentinel - Thursday 31 August 1939
4. Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser - Friday 01 September 1939
5. Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser - Friday 08 September 1939
6. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939.htm
7. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?24393-Miles-Magister-L8214-19-E-amp-RFS&p=146299#post146299
8. https://air-britain.com/pdfs/military/Crashes_in_the_South_East.pdf
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowfield_Heath

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Feb-2018 23:56	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-Feb-2018 23:56	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
01-Apr-2018 23:43	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
12-Nov-2018 15:11	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
26-Jan-2021 20:19	Richard	Updated [Narrative]