The reputation of the new DH2 as a “spinning incinerator” was hardly dispelled today when another pilot from 24 Squadron was killed in a crash. The CO of 24 Squadron, Major Hawker has been instructing pilots in how to handle the aircraft but to no avail today.
2nd Lieutenant Eric Arthur Cave took off in DH2 5926 on a practice flight from Bertangles. He got up to about 800 feet when the plane suddenly nosedived and spun to the ground. Cave was killed in the crash.
Cave was the son of Arthur Cave, of Rushden, manager of the Standard Rotary Machine Company. He was an accomplished linguist, speaking French, German, and Italian fluently, and had travelled extensively in Italy and Germany. About two years ago he made translations of Mr. G. K. Chesterton’s stories into German, but they were not published owing to some difficulties about the copyright. He was also a journalist of considerable promise. He had occupied positions on the Northampton Daily Echo and the Northampton Independent, and at the time of his enlistment was on the staff of the Yorkshire Daily Observer.
