The R38 crew members

This page is dedicated to the memory of those crew who perished performing their duty, irrespective of rank or nationality.

As we get more information from the public about relatives or from interested parties, we will endeavour to add this to the page.

Flt Sgt Alfred Thomas Martin

Alfred T Martin’s emotional last letter to his wife Winnie, written 21st August 1921, three days before he died.
Picture of Alfred and his family, 1918.
A letter of condolence to Alfred’s widow, Winnie, dated 20th October 1921, written by Captain Archie Wann who was one of the six survivors of R38.

AC1 Charles William Penson

AC1 Charles William Penson joined the navy in 1916, aged 18, and became an Officers Steward 3rd class with the Royal Navy Air Service. Two years later he was risen to Aircraftsman 1st class.

Air Cdre Cdre Edward Maitland Maitland

With the reurn ot R38, General Maitland became O.C. of the airship base at Howden. While serving as an observer for the ministry, he was killed in the R38 on 24th August 1921.
Snippet of a newspper article featuring information on Air Cdrs Edward Maitland, issued 25th August 1921.

LAC William Oliver

William Oliver’s duties lay with the ‘petrol department’. He joined the RAF in 1915, and served in France during WW1, achieving the rank of leading Aircraftman. After the war, he elected to stay in the RAF and was appointed to work on the R38.

R38 crew pictured above.

Flt Lt John Edward Maddock Pritchard OBE AFC

Newspaper clipping about the missing bodies from the disaster. Pritchard was one of those men.
John Edward Maddock Pritchard was an engineer. He served in the Navy during WW1 and when the war was over he stayed on as a pilot in the air arm of the Navy. He was put in charge of testing the R38 airship and the demonstration of its capabilities to the American delegation

Flt Archibald Herbert Wann

Pilot of the R38.
R38 officers, Wann and the US.
R38 pictured over Shortstown.

Cpl Walter Augustus Potter

Walter married Ida Evans (pictured above) at Amptill in 1919.
Survivers of the R38 airship crash at the memorial service, survivors including: Walter Potter, Flt Lt Archibald Warner and Mr Harry Bateman.
The Potter family.
Walter joined the Royal Navy in 1914, aged 16, young Walter pictured above. In 1921 he surived the R38 airship crash, he was one of only five people to survive the crash.

This R.38 website is kindly supported by Humber Museums Partnership and Arts Council England.

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