Squadron Commander E.H. Dunning
Encyclopedia
Squadron Commander Edwin Harris Dunning, DSC (17 July 1892 - 7 August 1917), of the British
Royal Naval Air Service
, was the first pilot to land an aircraft on a moving ship.
Dunning was born in South Africa on 17 July 1892 the second child of Sir Edwin Harris Dunning of Jacques Hall, Bradfield, Essex
, he was educated at Royal Naval Colleges at Osborne
and Dartmouth
.
Dunning landed his Sopwith Pup
on HMS Furious
in Scapa Flow
, Orkney on 2nd August 1917. He was killed five days later, during his second landing attempt of the day, when an updraft caught his port wing, throwing his plane overboard. Knocked unconscious, he drowned in the cockpit.
He is buried at St Lawrence's Church, Bradfield, beside his mother. A plaque in the church states "The Admiralty wish you to know what great service he performed for the Navy. It was in fact a demonstration of landing an Aeroplane on the deck of a Man-of-War whilst the latter was under way. This had never been done before;and the data obtained was of the upmost value. It will make Aeoplanes indispensable to a fleet;& possibly, revolutionise Naval Warfare. The risk taken by Squadron Commander Dunning needed much courage. He had already made two successful landings;but expressed a wish to land again himself, before other Pilots did so;and in this last run he was killed. My Lords desire to place on record their sense of the loss to the Naval Service of this gallant Officer."
In memory of Dunning, the Dunning Cup or Dunning Memorial Cup is given annually to the officer who is considered to have done most to further aviation in connection with the Fleet for the year in question. In the 1950s and 1960s it was awarded to Royal Air Force squadrons which achieve the highest standard on courses at the Joint Anti-Submarine School.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
, was the first pilot to land an aircraft on a moving ship.
Dunning was born in South Africa on 17 July 1892 the second child of Sir Edwin Harris Dunning of Jacques Hall, Bradfield, Essex
Bradfield, Essex
Bradfield is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located about five kilometers east of Manningtree and is fifty-one kilometers northeast from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district of Tendring and the parliamentary constituency of North Essex...
, he was educated at Royal Naval Colleges at Osborne
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
and Dartmouth
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
.
Dunning landed his Sopwith Pup
Sopwith Pup
The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very...
on HMS Furious
HMS Furious (47)
HMS Furious was a modified cruiser built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Lord John Fisher, they were very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Furious was modified while...
in Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, Orkney on 2nd August 1917. He was killed five days later, during his second landing attempt of the day, when an updraft caught his port wing, throwing his plane overboard. Knocked unconscious, he drowned in the cockpit.
He is buried at St Lawrence's Church, Bradfield, beside his mother. A plaque in the church states "The Admiralty wish you to know what great service he performed for the Navy. It was in fact a demonstration of landing an Aeroplane on the deck of a Man-of-War whilst the latter was under way. This had never been done before;and the data obtained was of the upmost value. It will make Aeoplanes indispensable to a fleet;& possibly, revolutionise Naval Warfare. The risk taken by Squadron Commander Dunning needed much courage. He had already made two successful landings;but expressed a wish to land again himself, before other Pilots did so;and in this last run he was killed. My Lords desire to place on record their sense of the loss to the Naval Service of this gallant Officer."
In memory of Dunning, the Dunning Cup or Dunning Memorial Cup is given annually to the officer who is considered to have done most to further aviation in connection with the Fleet for the year in question. In the 1950s and 1960s it was awarded to Royal Air Force squadrons which achieve the highest standard on courses at the Joint Anti-Submarine School.
Honours and awards
- 14 March 1916 - Flight Lieutenant Edwin Harris Dunning, RNAS is awarded the Distinguished Service Cross- Has performed exceptionally good work as a seaplane flyer, making many long flights both for spotting and photographing.
- 1 October 1917 - The following Officers and Men have been mentioned in despatches - Sqdrn. Cdr. Edwin Harris Dunning, DSC., RNAS (since killed).