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| Date: | Tuesday 23 September 1930 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Bristol F.2B Fighter |
| Owner/operator: | 2 FTS RAF |
| Registration: | J8458 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Treeton, 4 miles South of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Treeton, South Yorkshire |
| RAF Digby, Scopwick, Lincolnshire |
On Tuesday, 23rd September 1930 the pilot of this No.2 Flying Training School aircraft took off from Digby airfield to undertake a cross-country training flight, believed to have been from Digby to Upper Heyford and return to Digby. To qualify for the award of his pilot's Wings four such flights had to be made and this was the final one. On his return north he lost his way. With the engine of the aircraft mis-firing he made a good forced landing in a field near Treeton colliery, between Sheffield and Rotherham. After enquiring where he was and checking the engine he decided to take off again. The aircraft rose to between forty and fifty feet and then the engine cut out, it crashed into the next field and was badly damaged. Having received head and leg injuries he was pulled from the wreckage by a group of miners and taken to hospital in Rotherham but sadly died of these injuries two days later.
Sant was the 47th member of the Royal Air Force who lost his life in an accident in 1930, as compared with 42 for the whole of 1929. He is buried at Scopwick Church Burial Ground, Scopwick, Lincolnshire. R.I.P.
Alfred Sant was born in June 1905 in London and was the youngest son of Rev. Edward and Margaret Sant. By 1911 the family were living at Elsenham, Essex. His flying logbook was for sale on Ebay in the last few years, the seller gave a good account of his RAF service. He was granted a short service commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 27th December 1929 and was posted to No.2 F.T.S. On 15th January 1930 he under took his first flight as a passenger in Avro Lynx J9688. His time at 2 F.T.S. lasted some months, on 4th July 1930 he first flew in a Bristol Fighter as a passenger in J8278. An elder brother, 2nd Lt Edward Medley Sant RFC was reported missing on 1st September 1917 when his aircraft was shot down in France. Two other brothers also served in WW1; one in the RFC and one in the Army.
**Other sources identify the aircraft involved as a Bristol F.2B J8458 of 2 FTS, RAF Grantham. Bristol F2b J8458 was the very last Bristol Fighter to come of the production line. It was delivered to the RAF in June 1927 and only ever served with No.2 F.T.S. at Digby.
Treeton is a village and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It is located about 4 miles (6 km) south of the town of Rotherham and 5 miles (8 km) east of Sheffield City Centre.
Sources:
1. Western Gazette Somerset, England 26 Sep 1930
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20161207050739/http://treetonweb.co.uk/history/1930.htm
3. https://www.findagrave.com/page=gr&GRid=100772243
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?17427-RAF-Fatalities-1930
5. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1934.htm
6. http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/vicsmith/OldAccs/Sep30.html
7. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york30/j8458.html
8. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/warmemorials/scopwick-church-burial-ground-t4859.html
8. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/100772243/alfred_cecil-sant
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treeton
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Oct-2011 22:41 | angels one five | Added |
| 05-Oct-2011 22:48 | angels one five | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 25-Dec-2013 06:45 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Jan-2015 04:05 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 12-Feb-2015 13:50 | Dandy | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, ] |
| 09-Feb-2017 01:23 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Registration, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 29-Jun-2024 21:58 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Location, Operator, ] |
| 27-Jul-2025 08:05 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
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