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| Date: | Tuesday 12 November 1918 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Sopwith Pup |
| Owner/operator: | 38 Training Depot Station, RAF |
| Registration: | B4181 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Braham Moor, Near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Braham Moor, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire |
On 12th November 1918 this aircraft was being flown by a highly experienced pilot of No.38 Training Depot Station based at the Bramham Moor aerodrome near Tadcaster. The flight appears to have been a flight made by one of the most experienced instructors as a victory flight, the day after The Armistice, in which aerobatic manoeuvres were made. The pilot was undertaking a series of spins when, during one spin, he appears to have not left enough distance between the aircraft and the ground. Having not enough height remaining to recover the aircraft from a spin and resulting dive it flew into the ground in the Tadcaster area. The pilot received serious injuries in the resulting crash and was taken to the military hospital at York where he died at 05.15hrs on 22nd November 1918 soon after an operation. He did NOT, as per some published sources "die or injuries received on Armistice Day".
Pilot - Captain Stearne Tighe Edwards DSC and Bar RAF, aged 25, of Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada. Died of injuries 22nd November 1918. Buried Tadcaster Cemetery, Yorkshire (B4/G/25).
Stearne Edwards was born 13th February 1893 at Franktown, Ontario, Canada and was the son of Edwin Dennis and Ann Caroline Vincent (nee Tighe) Edwards. As a young man he worked in civil engineering and was working in a railway construction at Port Nelson when the First World War broke out. He is recorded as having walked 200 miles to the nearest railway station to travel to enlist. He learnt to fly at the Wright School, Dayton, Ohio, USA and was awarded his Pilot's Wings in October 1915. One of his friends who he enlisted and trained with was Arthur Roy Brown DSC and Bar who would later be credited with shooting down the Red Baron (though probably in error given modern research). Stearne Edwards joined the RNAS later in October 1915. He sailed to the UK and eventually to France. He was credited with a share of seventeen enemy aircraft being destroyed. His first being on 1st March 1916 with No.2 Squadron RNAS. He served with 6 Sqn RNAS, 22 Sqn RNAS, 11 Sqn RNAS over the next few months before joining 9 Squadron RNAS (Naval 9). The rest of his enemy aircraft claims were with No.9 Squadron RNAS between September 1917 and May 1918 (which became 209 Squadron RAF in April 1918).
He was awarded the DSC for his service in September 1917 and then the Bar to the DSC in 1918 "For conspicuous bravery and most brilliant leadership of fighting patrols against enemy aircraft. On 2nd May 1918, whilst leading a patrol of four scouts, he encountered a hostile formation of eight enemy scouts and drove down one enemy machine completely out of control. Soon afterwards, he engaged another formation of six enemy scouts, driving down one to its destruction whilst his patrol accounted for another. He only broke off the fight owing to lack of ammunition. He has destroyed or driven down out of control many enemy machines since he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and has at all times shown the greatest gallantry and a fine offensive spirit." He had flown with Arthur Roy Brown during this time at No.9 Squadron RNAS (or Naval 9).
Brown survived the War and went on to dedicate a plaque at Carleton Place, Ontario to his friend Stearne Edwards. In May 1918 Edwards appears to have been simply worn out of being at the front for two years so was posted back to the UK to instruct, elsewhere he is recorded as having suffered a nervous breakdown. He was instructing at Tadcaster at the time of his death.
Sources:
1. https://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/yorkshire/york20/b4181.html
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stearne_Tighe_Edwards
3. https://caspir.warplane.com/personnel/unit-search/p/600026468
4. https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/6846301
5. https://beckwithheroes.weebly.com/stearne-edwards.html
6. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=3215282
7. https://legionmagazine.com/air-force-the-fighter-pilot-who-hated-killing/
8. https://prabook.com/web/stearne_tighe.edwards/1867029
9. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28927856/stearne_tighe-edwards
10. https://tadcasterbarn.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Bramham-Airbase.pdf p.11
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bramham_Moor_Aerodrome
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Jul-2025 07:32 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
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