Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Brook -
- Short Solent air disaster 1957 -

Location

At St Mary's Church, Brook, Isle of Wight
 
See map on www.streetmap.co.uk

Description

Tree and Plaque marking the crash of Aquila Airways Short Solent flying boat G-AKNU at Chessell Down, near Brook in November 1957.

The plaque was unveiled on 12 October 2008 in commemoration of the 45 people who died in the crash. Thirteen people survived.

The plaque, in a magnesium alloy similar to that used in the construction of the flying boat, was designed by Dick Davis, and was manufactured by Oldland PLC of Bristol.

Memorial


 
Photo © Isle of Wight County Press
 

 
The grave stone of Richard and Helen Jephson
Carisbrooke (Mount Joy) Cemetery
Photo © Geoff Allan



The grave stone of Brian and Thelma Irving at Birks Fold Jewish Cemetery
(click to enlarge)
Photo © Nigel Grizzard

Inscription



Further Information

See Aviation Safety Network report on the crash.

 
Those who died - Crew
 

	Name	Age
Captain	Captain Frederick William Eltis	34
First Officer	Mr John Michael Scarr	27	Paddington, London
Flight Engineer	Mr David Richard Mitchener	33	Netley Abbey, Hampshire
Radio Operator	Mr Stephanus (Steve) Jansen Combruick	30
Chief Steward	Mr Gordon Painter	31	Salisbury
Stewardess	Miss Muriel Margaret Patricia Hanning-Lee	33	Highgate, London
Stewardess	Miss Angela Edith Margaret Kitcher	21	Southampton

 
Those who died - Passengers
 

Miss Margaret (Peggy) Abrahams	39	London
Harold Lackland Bevan	49	Willaston, Cheshire Died in Salisbury from injuries received in the crash
Mrs Marcelle (Tessa) Bevan	48	London
Dr Black		London
Mr Cecil Bruce Christie	46	Ashford, Middlesex
Mrs Norah Christie	49	Ashford Middlesex
Mary Kathleen (Molly) Colan	45	Ireland
Miss Eva Margery Cox	58	St Annes
Mrs Leah Denman	56	London
Mrs Green		Richmond, Surrey
Mr Arthur Harry Carver Harrison	51	Yorkshire
Mr Oscar James Thomas Humphreys	63
Mrs Sarah Humphreys	54
Wing Commander Edward Huntley	52	Sunbury on Thames
Dr Brian Gordon Irving	34	Leeds Buried at Birks Fold Jewish Cemetery, Bradford
Mrs Thelma Irving	25	Leeds Buried at Birks Fold Jewish Cemetery, Bradford
Mr Richard Jeremy Jephson	31	London Buried at Carisbrooke (Mount Joy) Cemetery
Helen Mary Jephson	31	London Buried at Carisbrooke (Mount Joy) Cemetery
Mr Maurice David Linton	59	Hampstead, London
Mr Peter (Pat) McLaren	41	St Andrew's, Fifeshire
Mr Cosmo Andrew McPherson Meldrum	25	Sligo, Ireland
Mr James Meldrum	50	St Andrew's, Fifeshire
Mrs Annie Blackwood Meldrum	46	St Andrew's, Fifeshire
Mr Henry Clarence Miller	36	Leeds
Mrs Eve Miller	23	Leeds
Mr Joseph Austin Motler	44	Bolton
Mrs Mavis Motler	27	Bolton
Miss Ann Motler	8	Bolton
Mr Louis Perloff	45	London
Mr Charles Brighton Rawlins	49	Southsea
Mrs Margaret Rawlins	35	Southsea
Mrs Irene Richards	49	Bolton
Mr Stephen James Rossington	56	Lincoln
Mrs Florence Ada Rossington	54	Lincoln
Mr Joseph Desmond Finbar Smyth	28	London
Miss Sylvia Sarah Weinberg	41	London

 
Those who survived - Passengers
 

Mr Ralph Peter Carey (Aquila Airways official)		Wembley, London
Major P W Colan		Cloyne, Co Cork, Ireland
Mr Frank Howatt		Blackpool
Mrs Howatt		Blackpool
Mrs Dorothy Huntley		Sunbury on Thames
Mr Lennox		Stirling
Mrs Lennox		Stirling
Mr Arthur Mangham		Blackpool
Mrs Mangham		Blackpool
Mr Wilson		Sutton Coldfield
Mrs Wilson		Sutton Coldfield
Mrs Magson		Bournemouth
Miss Magson		Bournemouth

Acknowledgments :

Nigel Grizzard for the photo of the Irvings' headstone.

Page status :

Page updated 11th September 2012 (added Irving headstone photo)