Ghost writer conjures up flyer’s spirit

For more than a century, his spirit is said to have walked the site of Britain’s first military air base where he was stationed when he plunged to his death from the Angus skies.

But despite his tragic place in Britain’s aviation history, a published story of Lieutenant Desmond Arthur’s life has remained as elusive as his Montrose apparition – until now.

Arthur ’s tale is considered one of the most famous ghost stories of the First World War after he became Scotland’s first aircraft accident fatality in May 1913 at the controls of a BE2 aircraft.

In the decades which followed, and right up to modern times, the airman’s ghost has reportedly appeared around the Broomfield station which was B r i t a i n’s first operational air station after a brief stay for RAF No2 squadron at farmland just south of the Angus town.

A replica of Lt Arthur’s plane graces the Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre charting Montrose’s place in RAF history, and was the setting for the weekend launch of a new book about Arthur penned by a local enthusiast.

Lieutenant Desmond Arthur RFC – The life And Death Of An Aviator has been written by Barr y Dominic Graham as the first biography centred on one of the many famous figures stationed at Montrose.

Irishman Arthur was initially blamed – but later cleared – for the crash on the morning of May 27 1913 when the right wing of the 2 9 - y e a r - o l d ’s aircraft snapped off and it plummeted to the ground near Lunan.

The ghost story features reports of strange footsteps, apparitions in First World War flying gear and the sound of a phantom plane flying overhead.

The last was as recently as 2018 when a figure appeared in front of a young volunteer Angus attraction.

Mr Graham said: “My reasons for undertaking the biography were primarily due to my failure to find any actual publication regarding the life of Lt Desmond Arthur.

“I was surprised that nothing seemed to exist in print, especially since there still remains such a great interest in his story.

“S e c o n d l y, and more importantly, I saw a possible avenue to perhaps help raise awareness and hopefully some funds for the Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre,” he added.

“Kn o w i n g the centre chairman, Stuart Archibald, it seemed a perfect opportunity to contribute in some small way,” said Mr Graham, who thanked the centre for its support in his research.

Mr Graham previously released a biography about the poet and lawyer, George Beattie of St Cyrus and Montrose, with his late cousin, John Molloy. at the

HERITAGE: Author Barry Graham, left, with Montrose Air Station’s Stuart Archibald.