Charles Raymond's Story.
Charles Raymond Waller was a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps. He died whilst attempting an altitude test over Hounslow in Middlesex. It seems he may have fainted and lost control of his plane, which then exploded. Charles was 19 years old.
Newspaper accounts reported the findings of the inquest:
Fatal Accidents.
At an inquest held on August 11th, on 2nd Lieut. C. R. Waller, who was killed at Hounslow on August 9th, it was stated that the pilot went up for an altitude test. He had never before flown more than 3,000 ft. up, but on this occasion he went up to 16,000 ft. The machine then nose-dived, righted itself, dived again, rolled over and collapsed, the pieces being scattered over a large area. It was suggested that the deceased became faint or had a heart attack. A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned.
(Flight 16 August 1917)
FAINTED AT 16,000 FT. "Unusual" Flight of An Airman
When he had ascended to a height of 16,000 feet, Sec-Lieut. C. R. Waller, of Meopham, Kent, fainted in the air. An explosion occurred, and Lieut. Waller was killed. This was stated at the inquest at Hounslow, when the symptoms of air faintness were described.
The machine, it was stated, nose-dived, righted itself, then dived again and rolled over. When the explosion took place, the machine was blown to pieces.
Captain C. P. Inglefield said that Lieut. Waller had never before flown more than 3,000 feet up, and it was unusual and dangerous to fly 16,000 feet at a first attempt. He thought that the officer must have become faint or had a heart attack.
The Coroner: How can you tell that? - His flying cap was strapped under his chin before he went up, but it was found unstrapped two miles away. One of the first things a flying man does if he feels faint is to unloose the strap.
The first symptom of faintness, said Captain Inglefield, is stars moving before the eyes, when an airman should come down at once. Fainting would cause a man to fall forward and lose absolute control of the machine. It would need a strong man to fly at such a height.
A Juror: Would he know the air pressure? - No.
The Coroner: Would it not be useful to have an air pressure gauge on the machine? - It would be very useful.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
(The Straits Times 29 September 1917)
What do we know about Charles?
Charles Raymond Waller was the only son of Rev Edward Harry Mansfield Waller (1871-1942) and Irene Juliana Louisa Doudney (1874-1933). He was born on 19th June 1898 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, where his father was Vice-Principal of St Paul's (C.M.S.) College. By 1911, Charles was at a boarding school in St Leonard's, Sussex. He was awarded the Rustat Scholarship (£40) for Classics for entry to Jesus College, Cambridge in October 1917 after completing his school education at Marlborough College. Instead of taking up this place, he joined the Flying Corps. While still undergoing training, he was killed in an accident, possibly caused by fainting at a high altitude.
He was buried in St Leonard's Churchyard, Heston, London Borough of Hounslow, Middlesex.
What do we know about Charles?
Charles Raymond Waller was the only son of Rev Edward Harry Mansfield Waller (1871-1942) and Irene Juliana Louisa Doudney (1874-1933). He was born on 19th June 1898 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, where his father was Vice-Principal of St Paul's (C.M.S.) College. By 1911, Charles was at a boarding school in St Leonard's, Sussex. He was awarded the Rustat Scholarship (£40) for Classics for entry to Jesus College, Cambridge in October 1917 after completing his school education at Marlborough College. Instead of taking up this place, he joined the Flying Corps. While still undergoing training, he was killed in an accident, possibly caused by fainting at a high altitude.
He was buried in St Leonard's Churchyard, Heston, London Borough of Hounslow, Middlesex.
In June 1920, a memorial was unveiled in Alsager to remember those who had died in WW1. Charles's name appears on the front of the memorial. His connection to Alsager is that at the time, his uncle Rev Alfred Hamilton Waller (1867 - 1924) was the vicar there.
Compiled by Shena Lewington (July 2026)
Compiled by Shena Lewington (July 2026)