Kesgrave Area Memorials

[John Cooper]

R101 Airship

An aviation story with a bit of irony attached to it.............
I was always aware of a story my father told me as a young lad where he was stationed at RAF Hawkinge near Folkestone in Kent in 1930 as an Aircraft Fitter IIE, he was 22 years of age.
On October the 5th 1930 the giant airship the R101 left its mooring at Cardington to fly to Karachi on its maiden overseas voyage unfortunately the R101 crashed at Beauvais in Northern France, 48 of the passengers and crew died. The Secretary of State for Air Lord Thomson was one of those that perished, 8 of those on board survived the initial crash but one died later from his injuries.
One of those on board was Squadron Leader Michael Rope he was the Assistant to The Head of the Design Committee and Assistant Designer for the construction of the R101, Michael was one of those that did not survive and The Church of The Holy Family and St Michael was erected at Kesgrave, Suffolk as a memorial.
My father Joseph [Joe] Cooper was detailed along with many others to take the next available ferry from Folkestone to Boulogne, this was one of the nearest bases to the scene of the RAF crash of R101. His task was to recover the bodies of those that perished and repatriate them back to the UK
The coffins lay in state at Westminster Hall at the Palace of Westminster. On October 11th 1930 a memorial service was held at St Paul's Cathedral, the coffins were taken to Cardington village for interment. A monument was later erected in the churchyard. I visited the graveyard at the Cardington hangars many years ago but I did not know the significance of Kesgrave and Michael Rope at that time until I moved to Kesgrave some 15 years ago and living within half a mile of St Michael's Church
http://www.comberenterprises.co.uk/apps/WikkaKCW/KesgraveHistoryR101
One of the newer stained glass windows of St Michael's Church, Kesgrave
http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/46162/2693699250035970728S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2693699250035970728qyyUKC)
The original stained glass window with a model of the R101 made by The Royal Airship Works Factory at Cardington after the crash
http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/48528/2987665780035970728S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2987665780035970728DBnirP)
A closer look at the window and the third segment on the right has the R101 depicted
http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/45855/2470384850035970728S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2470384850035970728mbZNaw)
http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/45186/2042246390035970728S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2042246390035970728ftKiwO)
http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/46117/2747229010035970728S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2747229010035970728QCfkbL)
http://thumb8.webshots.net/t/72/72/1/3/63/2962103630035970728HlZrsb_th.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2962103630035970728HlZrsb)
http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/46188/2237350220035970728S600x600Q85.jpg (http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2237350220035970728ejaVYY)
My thanks to St Michael's Church for allowing me to photograph the inside of their church and pointing me in the right direction

[airfields man]

Surperb photographs John, I called there in July 1987, the photographs that I took were/are rubbish ! Don't even know if I've still got them? Wouldn't even consider showing them now. Much appreciated your display John. Many thanks. Paul.

[PETERTHEEATER]

My late mother frequently recalled that disaster but I was not aware of the memorials in St Michael's Church; thanks.

[PNK]

Both my parents were convinced they saw the R101 at some point. The huge airships were often seen going up and down the Thames. The sheer size of the things is something that is hard to imagine.