Claude Albemarle Bettington (13 May 1875,

Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...

, South Africa - 10 September 1912, Wolvercote, Oxfordshire, England) was a mining engineer and a pioneer aviator from South Africa.

Early life

Claude Albemarle Bettington was the son of Col. Rowland Albemarle Bettington. He attended St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown from April to December 1890.

Military service

At the start of the

Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sou ...

Bettington served in the

Imperial Light Horse Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texas ...

from its formation to May 1900, later a lieutenant in the

Royal Field Artillery The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry. It came into being when created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of t ...

, 14th Battery from May 1900 to end of war.

Engineering career

Bettington was a member of the Mechanical Engineers Assn. of the Witwatersrand and a member of the Chemical and Metallurgical Assn. of the Witwatersrand. and worked as a mining mechanical engineer from 1891 to outbreak of the

in 1899. Bettington invented a new type of steam boiler. and together with Anthony M Robeson invented a boiler furnace for burning pulverized fuel.

Aviation

Bettington, as a young officer serving with the Royal Artillery was fascinated by the possibilities which flying offered to the artillery regarding observation and reconnaissance. After learning to fly and becoming the first South African to take the Aviator's Certificate of the

Royal Aero Club The Royal Aero Club (RAeC) is the national co-ordinating body for air sport in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901 as the Aero Club of Great Britain, being granted the title of the "Royal Aero Club" in 1910. History The Aero Club was foun ...

of the United Kingdom and the

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale The (; FAI; en, World Air Sports Federation) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It maintai ...

. Bettington transferred to the newly formed

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

. The autumn army manoeuvers of 1912 included the Royal Flying Corps for the first time. Bettington was paired with Edward Hochkiss, chief test pilot for the

Bristol Aeroplane Company The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aircraft engines. Notable a ...

to fly a Bristol Coanda Monoplane. Taking-off from Larkhill at 07.00 on 10 September 1912 they flew directly to

Port Meadow, Oxford Port Meadow is a large meadow of open common land beside the River Thames to the north and west of Oxford, England. Overview The meadow is an ancient area of grazing land, still used for horses and cattle, and according to legend has never bee ...

which was the first stage. Arriving over Port Meadow at 2000 ft. On their approach for landing a quick-release catch holding a strap opened and the strap fractured a flying wire which whipped about, tearing a hole in the starboard wing. Fabric stripped off and control became impossible; the aircraft crashed into the ground at Lower Wolvercote, short of Port Meadow. Bettington was flung to his death from the aircraft and Hotchkiss perished in the ensuing impact.

References

External links

BMD data at 1820settlers.comMilitary record at forces-war-records.co.uk
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Craven Arms, Shropshire: Remembering an Aviation Ace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bettington, Claude Albemarle 1875 births 1912 deaths Alumni of St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in England South African aviators South African engineers Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1912