Silver tiepin in the form of the rigid airship R101, which crashed in October 1930 with the loss of 48 lives.
In 1924 the British Government initiated an Airship Research Programme in order to establish whether large rigid airships would be a worthwhile commercial enterprise. This programme led to the construction at Cardington, Bedfordshire of His Majesty's Airship R101. She was intended to be an aerial flagship that would link the remote outposts of the British Empire. When completed in 1929, she was the largest airship the World had ever seen with a length of 777 feet.
A silver tiepin in the form of the R101, was presented to all employees who had been involved in her construction.
For her final journey on 4th October 1930, R101 left Cardington for India with 54 people on board. From the start of the journey she was badly affected by heavy rain and strong winds. By the time she had passed over Beauvais in France at 2 a.m. the following morning she had lost altitude and suddenly went into a steep dive. Despite efforts to raise her nose, she was too low and at 2.09 a.m. crashed into the hillside. As those on board who were awake prepared to escape, 5.5 million cubic feet of hydrogen erupted into flames. Of the 54 on board, 8 escaped of which only 6 survived. Those who died included Lord Thomson, Secretary of State for Air who was greatly responsible for the launching of the Airship Programme.
One of the survivors, A H Leech recalled:
Suddenly there was a terrific explosion. The front part of the ship burst instantly into flames. I was half choked by the rush of gas and fumes backwards, and I owe my life - as do Binks and Bell - to the fact that when we hit the ground the water ballast tanks were released and drenched us. We were convinced that our last hour had come. We shook hands and bade one another a last goodbye. A minute later everyone was fighting his way out. We tore away the wreckage and were surprised when we staggered out and found ourselves safe except for our burns.
The disaster shocked the whole of the country and the victims were afforded the honour of a full State funeral. On October 10 having been transported to Britain, the victims lay in state in Westminster where thousands of people paid their respects. Services were held at both St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Cathedral. The following day, one week after the disaster, they were transported to Bedford by train and were met by 24 RAF tenders ready to carry the coffins to Cardington. Every shop and factory in Bedford was closed for the day and the route was lined with crowds. Finally, the 48 victims were laid to rest in a single mass grave at St Mary's churchyard in Cardington.
With the death of the Secretary of State for Air, the Director of Civil Aviation as well as many well-respected airship technicians and crewmen, the Airship Programme foundered quickly.