Kempston Balloon Disaster

BY Allan Matthews

he photograph below is a group photograph taken at a little-known event, the Kempston balloon disaster of 1926. The crash occurred at the Kempston Flower Show in Bedfordshire on August 3 1926. The balloon had been one of the main attractions, taking visitors high into the air to admire the surrounding countryside. The balloon was attached to a thick rope, which wound onto the

The accident occurred after a dozen or so trips that morning. When descending, the rope became fouled in a tree, and the pilots then asked a number of people below to take the rope and try to pull the balloon down. However, the wind was strong and a number of men were lifted in the air. Suddenly a sharp crack was heard and the netting which held the basket broke, quickly followed by the basket itself breaking away and falling 100 feet to the ground.

The pilot and one passenger were killed instantly. The police attended to the three other casualties. However, one died on the way to hospital and two others died shortly after being admitted.

Four of the victims were buried in Kempston parish church, with over 2000 mourners attending the funerals four days after the disaster.