We have had this subject before ... but this young Lieutenant was one of five brothers killed in WW1 ! The American Navy were so impressed by the R34 that they ordered a rigid airship from Britain. The R38 was the biggest one built with 14 gas cells and six Sunbeam engines each of 350 HP. It was 700ft long and had a speed of 71mph. The airship was built at Cardington and was completed on 7th June 1921. On 23rd June she left Cardington and was delivered to Howden, Yorkshire. Minor girder damage had occurred during the flight and suggestions were made that strength had been sacrificed in order to achieve lightness. The first speed trial was carried out on July 17th at Howden. On August 23rd, she was on her final test flight and, cruising over Hull at an altitude of 2,500ft, flying at 60 MPH, she suddenly broke her back, exploded in mid air and both parts fell burning into the Humber killing 44 out of the 49 on board. There were a number of both British and American airmen on board at the time. A disaster memorial in Hull cemetery contains two plaques, one for the British and one for the American airmen who lost their lives. Those on the plaque marked † are buried underneath the memorial. THOMAS, D.F.C. G M Flight Lieutenant, H.M. Airship R 38, Royal Air Force. Died on Wednesday 24th August 1921. Son of Mr. T. Thomas, of Savanna-la-Man, Jamaica, British West Indies. D.F.C. Commemorated in HULL WESTERN CEMETERY, Yorkshire. "R 38" Memorial. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Yorkshire/HullR38Memorial.html
Inspector of Police Herbert T. Thomas of the Jamaican Constabulary, 1856 to 1930 has become the forgotten man. Apart from his police work, he was a Naturalist and the author of 2 books. Untrodden Jamaica 1891 and The Story of a West Indian Policeman 1927 By the Gleaner Co. Five sons from his first marriage were killed in WW1, all from Jamaica. Harry Reid Thomas, Frances H. Thomas, Arthur C.Thomas, Benjamin Thomas, Godfrey M. Thomas. All of these served with distinction and high rank.Two of these men were awarded medals - King's medal with 5 clasps, and King's medal & dirk (?) Two were Captains - one a Major - and a Flight Lieutenant on Airship-R38
