Hessian royals perish in Ostend air crash

On November 16, 1937, Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse, his wife, the former Princess Cecilie of Greece, and their family, except an infant daughter, together with their servants, were killed during an air crash in Ostend, Belgium. 

Ostend, November 16, 1937 - When 11 occupants of an airliner were incinerated today, after a crash into a chimney, the Grand Duke of Hesse and Rhine and all of his family except an infant daughter, were killed.

They were flying from Munich to London to attend the wedding of the Grand Duke's brother, Prince Louis, to a daughter of Sir Auckland Geddes.

The Grand Duke was a second cousin of King George VI, and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria.

The Grand Duchess, formerly Princess Cecile of Greece, was a cousin of the Duchess of Kent.

The eight passengers and crew of three who were killed were:

Grand Duke Georg of Hesse and by Rhine, aged 31.

Grand Duchess Cecile, 26, his wife (formerly Princess of Greece)

The Dowager Grand Duchess of Hesse, 67, his mother.

Prince Louis, 6, and Prince Alexandre, 4, his sons.

Madame Lina Havn, maid to the family.

Martens, an engineer.

Freiherr Greysen Zu Eisenbach, a passenger.

M. Lambotte, 37, the pilot.

M. Courtois, the wireless operator.

M. Mansmans, the mechanic.

The two young princes were to have been pages at the wedding.

The plane, a Belgian Sabena airliner, was seeking to land in dense fog on the outskirts of Ostend, when it struck the chimney of one of the brickworks of the locality.

Eyewitnesses say that the plane was traveling at a speed of about 100 miles an hour. One wing and an engine broke off and crashed through the roof of the brickworks. The remainder of the plane overturned and crashed into a brickfield 50 yards away, where it burst into flames.

Several men were in the brickfield but none was hurt.

Because of the fog, the plane did not land at Brussel, as scheduled, but went to Ostend to pick up two more passengers. The fog was dense when the plane arrived over Ostend, but the aerodrome staff prepared for a landing. As the plane descende3d toward the landing ground it crashed into the chimney. Throughout the descent, the wireless operator was in communication with the aerodrome until the crash. 

An aerodrome official said that the two princes and Eisenbach were thrown clear on a heap of straw instantly blazed up.

The noise was heard for some distance, and residents rushed to the spot, but, as the rescuers approached there was a terrific explosion, and the machine became a mass of flames. It was possible to approach, and gendarmes kept the crowd back from the blazing wreckage, which was still burning two hours later. -  The Riverine Herald,  Thursday 18 November 1937 

Inquiry being held

London, Nov. 18 - A magisterial inquiry is being held into the tragic air crash at Ostend, in which all the passengers and crew of the Belgian Sabena line's Junker plane lost their lives. Thousands of people visited the scene of the disaster where the mass of twisted steel was covered by a tarpaulin.

Prince Ludwig of Hesse, who yesterday was married to the daughter of Sir Auckland Geddes, superintended the removal of the bodies to Darmstadt, where they will remain in the family mausoleum until the funeral. In Hesse, the people are wearing mourning and all flags are being flown in half-mast.

It is understood that Prince Ludwig will not assume the title Grand Duke. It was agreed between the Reich Government and the Grand Ducal House some time ago that the Grand Duke should carry the title of Prince, the government feeling that the title implied sovereignty.

Herr Hitler has sent a message of sympathy to the relatives of the late Grand Duke -  The Sydney Morning Herald  Friday, 19 Nov 1937

£12,000 Royal Jewels Lost In Air Crash

Ostend, Thursday (November 18) -  Searchers turned over the wrecked Belgian Sabena airliner today in their search for jewellery valued at more than £12,000.

Some of the jewels were found.

The jewellery was in the luggage of the Grand Duchess of Hesse, who was killed in the crash.

The Grand Duchess's jewellery included a diamond diadem, two pearl necklaces, rings, and bracelets.

She was to have worn' them at the marriage in London of her brother-in-law, Prince Ludwig of Hesse, and Miss Margaret Campbell Geddes.

Prince Ludwig, now the Grand Duke, and his bride were quietly married in London yesterday.

Last night they stood hand-in-hand in the mortuary of the civil hospital at Ostend.

Their faces white and drawn, they looked at the five candle-lit coffins of the victims.

The bride comforted the Grand Duke when he broke down and sobbed: "My poor people." -  The Daily Telegraph  Fri 19 Nov 1937

Bruges, December 20. - The Public Prosecutor has ordered a notice to be served on Captain Daems, superintendent of Ostend airport, on a charge of manslaughter arising from the Hesse crash on November 23.

The action follows the examining Magistrate's inquiry, at which witnesses included air pilots and wireless operators.

The 'Daily Mall' says the reason for the charge against Captain Daems was not disclosed, but it is understood it concerns the non-despatch of a radio message to the ill-fated plane.

It is believed the inquiry showed that when Brussels officials learned that Ostend had been suddenly blacked-out by a fog, they ordered Ostend aerodrome to wireless the pilot to make direct for Croydon. It is said Captain Daems admitted that this message was not sent.  - Daily Mercury, Wednesday 22 December 1937.