Lieutenant Frederick Plummer

On 12th September, 1918, Lieutenant Frederick Plummer took off from Kenley in an Armstrong Whitworth FK8, (F3453), on a ferry flight to France. He had ascended to 200ft and started to turn, when a gust of wind caught the aircraft and it lost flying speed and nose-dived into the ground, wrecking the machine and killing Frederick instantly.

Frederick Plummer was a South London boy, born in Surbiton on 6th March, 1888, and christened at Christ Church, North Brixton, on 3rd April, 1899. His Father, Frederick H. Plummer, was an employer in the Printing Industry, born in Islington. By 1901, the Plummer family: Frederick Senior, his wife Alice, their five children and one servant, were living at 48 Drakefield Rd, in Tooting Bec. Alice was widowed in 1902, but the Plummers continued to live at the same address.

By 1911, the adult children were all still unmarried, living at home and employed in clerical work, apart from Frederick’s youngest sister, Phyllis, who was still at school. The family no longer employed a servant and Frederick was working as a clerk in a Motor Works. He had previously worked for United Shipping Co. Ltd.

On 22nd February, 1909, Frederick took the oath at Bunhill Row, London, and joined 5th (City of London) Battalion of the new London Regiment, Territorial Force, for four years service, having previously been a cadet. His training began at Larkhill Camp in July 1909.

In November 1912, he re-engaged for a further four years and transferred to the 2/1st West Kent Yeomanry. On the outbreak of WW1, Frederick was promoted to Lance-Corporal. Records show that he passed a course of instruction in Signalling, but no date is given.

In March 1915, Plummer signed up for Overseas service in the event of a National Emergency, by which point he had been promoted to Sergeant.

On the 6th December, 1916, he was transferred to the West Kent Regiment and sent overseas as part of the  British Expeditionary Force.

Plummer returned to the UK on 16th March, 1917, possibly after being wounded at Etaples on 28th February. He was transferred to the Home Establishment as a candidate for a Temporary Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on the General List with the Royal Flying Corps and posted to the R.F.C. depot at Farnborough.

From 16th April until early July, Plummer was posted to Oxford, Winchester (Hursley perhaps?) and then back to Oxford, presumably for training or possibly for duties involving the Cadet Wings. From 5th July until 16th October, Plummer was stationed at Shoreham with No.5 Training Squadron, followed by one week at No.64 Training Squadron. Three days at the Wireless and Observers School followed, before a very brief posting to the Expeditionary Force with No.34 Squadron, on 27th October. However, early November saw Plummer at No.2 Aircraft Storage Depot Repair Park where he remained for four months before being admitted to hospital on 2nd March, 1918. He was posted to No.59 Squadron on 14th, but over the next few months Plummer seems to have been plagued with uncertainties about his fitness. He was declared fit for ground General Service on 18th March, but then declared unfit for General Service for 8 weeks on 13th June. He was nevertheless fit for Home Service with flying and took up his duties as a ferry pilot with the Central Despatch Pool on 23rd June. No further movements are recorded before Plummer’s fatal accident on 12th September.

Frederick was laid to rest in his family’s plot at Streatham Cemetery, Tooting.

Rest in peace Sir and thank you for your service.