Desmond Arthur
Desmond Lucius Studdert P. P. Arthur | |
|---|---|
| Born | 31 March 1884 O'Brien's Bridge, County Clare, Ireland |
| Died | 27 May 1913 (aged 29) Lunan Bay near Montrose, Angus, Scotland |
| Buried | Sleepyhillock Cemetery, Montrose, Angus, Scotland |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Army Motor Reserve Royal Munster Fusiliers Royal Flying Corps |
| Years of service | c. 1908 – 1913 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | Royal Munster Fusiliers No. 2 Squadron RFC |
Lieutenant Desmond Arthur (1884–1913) was an Irish aviator in No. 2 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. Following his death in Scotland's first fatal aircraft accident; a government inquiry was launched to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash. The first inquiry found him responsible, but a later investigation exonerated Arthur. Arthur's ghost is claimed to haunt the RAF Montrose airfield in Montrose, Angus, Scotland, and paranormal enthusiasts consider it to be one of the most well-known ghost stories of the First World War. Desmond Arthur was the first Irishman to be killed in an aircraft accident.