George William BURTON, Leading Telegraphist J39729 Royal Navy, HMS Eagle of the Fleet Air Arm. He was born on the 1st June 1898 at Kendal, Westmorland and died in a aeroplane accident on Tuesday 18th January 1927, aged 28 years in Malta while part of crew of an Avro Bison. There was a Court of Enquiry into the accident of the Avro Bison resulting in the death of a rating.
At rest in Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta. Plot E Grave 11
N.B. The headstone states 1926 but this is incorrect.
Extract from Flightglobal/Archive -
Royal Air Force Flying Accident
The Air Ministry regrets to announce that as the result of an accident at Malta to an Avro Bison of No. 423 Flight, Fleet Air Arm on January 18, Flight-Lieutenant Cyril Fraser Brewerton, D.S.C., Royal Air Force, the pilot of the aircraft, Edwin Chafe, Lieutenant, Royal Navy, Flying Officer, Royal Air Force, Lieutenant Guy Owen Owen-Jones, Royal Navy, and J. 39729 Leading Telegraphist George William Burton, Royal Navy, were killed. The aeroplane had just taken off, and, still flying directly into the wind, approached the coast where the cliff is about 300 ft. high. Here the air was unusually disturbed by a gusty wind blowing seawards at about 30 miles an hour. The machine, at a height of 50 ft., was thrown out of control, the starboard lower wing struck the ground near the cliff edge, and the machine plunged into the sea. There is no indication of any defect in the aircraft or engine. Flight Commander C. F. Brewerton, who commanded the Flight, was a most skilful pilot, with many years' experience, both during and since the war.
N.B.
Burton, Chafe and Brewerton are all at rest in Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta. No grave or commemoration has been located anywhere in Malta for Owen-Jones. Possibility he was lost at sea.
There is a memorial plaque to Guy Owen-Jones in Asply Guise Church, Bedfordshire. Also commemorated on this plaque is his brother, who as a midshipman drowned at sea in 1924.
