Date:	Thursday 2 September 1937
Time:	08:30
Type:	Vickers Vildebeest Mk III
Owner/operator:	22 Squadron, RAF
Registration:	K4588
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Atwick, near Skipsea Ranges, off Bridlington, East Yorkshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Catfoss, Bridlington,East Yorkshire
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Vickers Vildebeest Mk. III K4588 & K4606, 22 Squadron, RAF Donibristle, Fife: Written off (destroyed) in a mid-air collision on 2nd September 1937 at Atwick, near Skipsea Ranges, off Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Three of the four crew (two in each aircraft) killed.

Between 28th August 1937 and 18th September 1937 No.22 (Torpedo Bombing) Squadron undertook a training camp at No.1 Armament Training Camp at Catfoss, to carry out training in gunnery and bombing off the Yorkshire Coast. 22 Squadron were normally based at Donibristle, they flew to Catfoss, on 28th August and then flew to Southampton on 18th September 1937. One of the training exercises carried out while the squadron was at Catfoss was to undertake live firing at drogues towed behind a towing aeroplane as well as practice bomb dropping onto targets.

During the morning of Thursday, 2nd September 1937 at least two of the 22 Squadron aeroplanes were used to fly these exercises over the Skipsea ranges. Unfortunately, at around 08.30hrs a collision occurred over the Atwick area during bomb dropping. Whether the collision occurred head on is not clear from newspaper reports but control of both aeroplanes was immediately lost. Witnesses on the ground differed with what they witnessed, some claimed to see three parachutists leave the aeroplanes while others say only three appeared. Both aeroplanes then crashed, K4588 crashed on land around fifteen feet from the cliff top near Atwick and was destroyed by fire, K4606 fell into the sea around 200 yards off the Atwick coast. A strong south-westerly wind was blowing and while those who jumped from their aeroplanes left over land they unfortunately drifted out over the North Sea. One parachutist landed in the sea but close enough to shore that he was helped to the beach by members of the public having sustained only minor injuries. At least two of the other parachutists landed further out to sea while the third either also parachuted and landed in the sea or remained in the aeroplane.

The crew of a fishing boat "Girl Freda" witnessed the events and were quickly over where the parachutes were seen on the water. They attempted to rescue those in the water but only found two unbuckled parachutes and harnesses which indicated both men had released themselves from their harnesses but were then lost. A Singapore flying boat was brought to Hornsea Mere the day after the accident to take part in the search but no trace of the three was found at the time.


Crew of Vickers Vildebeest K4606:
Pilot - Sgt John Medd RAF (564911), aged 22, of Orrell, Liverpool. The body of Sgt Medd was discovered on the beach at Rolston on 20th September 1937. The Burial location is unknown.
Air Gunner - Corporal Cecil George Gurd RAF (560621), aged 26, of Portsmouth. The body of Corporal Gurd was discovered on the beach at Mapleton on 6th December 1937.Burial location unknown,

Crew of Vickers Vildebeest K4588:
Pilot - Pilot Officer William Herbert Cheetham RAF, aged 22, of Ruislip, Middlesex. Cremated Golders Green, London. The body of P/O Cheetham was discovered on the beach at Cowden on 10th September 1937.
Air Gunner - AC.1 Leslie Broadbent Wilson RAF (563943). Landed on or neat the beach (as per the above). Survived with Minor injuries.

According to a contemporary report in "Flight" magazine (September 9 1937 page 264 - see link 4):

"FLYING ACCIDENTS
P/O William Herbert Cheetham, Sgt. John Medd and Corporal Cecil George Gurd are reported missing in the sea as the result of a collision in the air which occurred at the Skipsea Ranges on September 2, between two aircraft of No. 22 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron, Donibristle, Fife.

P/O Cheetham and Sgt. Medd were the pilots of their respective aircraft and Corporal Gurd was a passenger in one of the aircraft. A passenger of the other aircraft, A/C.1 Leslie Broadbent Wilson, was not injured.

Extensive searches both from the air and by surface vessels has revealed no trace of the missing personnel. It must, therefore, be presumed, with regret, that the personnel reported as missing have lost their lives"

Atwick is a village and civil parish in Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The village is near the North Sea coast, and 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Hornsea on the B1242 road. The civil parish is formed by the village of Atwick and the hamlet of Skirlington.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1976 page 35)
2. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1937.htm
3. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?13721-I-have-recently-obtained-a-list-of-Irvin-Caterpillar-members-upto-1940-1937-Mystery
4. (paywall) https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1937/1937%20-%202506.PDF
5. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york37/k4588.html
6. National Archives (PRO Kew) 22 Squadron ORB File for the period 1 August 1915 to 31 December 1941: File AIR 27/278 at https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2502913
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atwick

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Apr-2018 21:59	Dr. John Smith	Added
12-Apr-2018 21:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative, ]
02-Nov-2018 19:52	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator, ]
19-May-2024 10:06	Nepa	Updated [Location, Narrative, Operator, ]
05-Aug-2025 19:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ]