Voices from the Wreckage: The Haunting of the R101 Airship

The R101 airship disaster of 1930 is not just a story of aviation gone wrong, but a tale with overtones of the supernatural. Beyond the technical failures and human errors, the involvement of renowned Irish medium Eileen Garrett and esteemed paranormal investigator Harry Price has given the tragedy an aura of mystery. As early as 1926, Garrett, who had displayed psychic abilities from a young age, began having vivid premonitions of an airship disaster over London, warning of fire, smoke, and an impending tragedy. Her warnings, however, went unheeded by aviation authorities. This article delves into the eerie events leading up to the crash, the séances that followed, and the lingering spirits that continue to interest paranormal researchers.

The British Airship Industry: A Tale of Two Airships

Victor A. Chapman, c1929. From collection owned by SkyeWaye, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The R100, completed first by a private company, Vickers, was relatively successful. It embarked on a maiden voyage to Canada in 1930, demonstrating a degree of reliability and operational success. The R100's construction emphasized private innovation and was led by a team including the notable Barnes Wallis, later famous for his role in designing the bouncing bomb during World War II. The R100's successful transatlantic flight showcased the potential of airships for long-distance travel and raised expectations for their future use.

In contrast, the R101 was primarily a government-funded venture, representing a significant investment in state-sponsored engineering. This airship was intended to surpass the R100 in size and capability, symbolizing British technological prowess. However, the R101 project was marred by political pressure, design compromises, and rushed timelines. The government's involvement aimed to demonstrate national strength and innovation, but it ultimately highlighted the pitfalls of bureaucratic interference in technical endeavors.

The R101 Airship: A Vision of Grandeur Turned Tragic

The R101 was envisioned as an ambitious project that would showcase British engineering prowess and help connect the vast British Empire through luxurious air travel. Stretching over 730 feet and filled with more than 5 million cubic feet of flammable hydrogen gas, the enormous airship promised to revolutionize long-distance transportation with unparalleled speed and comfort.

However, the development of the R101 was beset with challenges from the start. Its design incorporated diesel engines instead of petrol to reduce fire risks, but this made the engines heavier, requiring the addition of an extra central segment to increase hydrogen lift capacity. This compromise was one of many unsatisfactory solutions adopted during the airship's construction.

Other issues like insufficient engine power, faulty elevator controls, and miscalculated weight loads also raised concerns among engineers about the R101's airworthiness. Despite technical advisories to delay the maiden flight until these problems could be properly addressed, there was immense political pressure from officials like Lord Thomson, the Secretary of State for Air, to launch on schedule.

Anxious to showcase Britain's airship ambitions, Thomson insisted the R101 depart for India as planned on 4 October 1930, with him aboard as a passenger. This pivotal decision to prematurely launch the flawed airship, against expert recommendations, set the stage for the upcoming catastrophe over France less than 24 hours later.

So while the R101 embodied the grand visions of a globe-spanning British airship fleet, its rush to operation despite clear design faults and inadequate testing foreshadowed the tragedy that would unfold on its very first voyage.

The Crash Site: A Scene of Tragedy

The R101's ill-fated journey came to a tragic end in the early hours of 5 October 1930, when the airship crashed near the village of Allonne, close to Beauvais in northern France. The airship encountered severe weather, and combined with its inherent design flaws, this led to its catastrophic descent. Upon crashing, the R101 burst into flames, fuelled by the vast quantities of hydrogen it carried. Of the 54 people on board, only six survived the inferno. The crash site became a scene of horror and tragedy, with debris scattered over a wide area and the remains of the airship smoldering amidst the French countryside.

Eileen Garrett: The Medium with Premonitions

Eileen Garrett, born in 1893 in Ireland, was a renowned medium known for her psychic abilities such as seeing auras, out-of-body experiences, and communicating with spiritual entities she called "controls" named Uvani and Abdul Latif. Despite a difficult childhood marked by family tragedies and questions about her sanity, Garrett persisted in exploring her gifts.

Prior to the R101 crash, Garrett experienced vivid premonitions warning of the impending tragedy on three separate occasions in 1926, 1928, and 1929. Although her warnings about an airship disaster over central London were not heeded at the time, they gained significance in the aftermath of the horrific event.

Harry Price's Initial Involvement

Two days after the devastating R101 crash, renowned paranormal investigator Harry Price organised a séance with the specific aim of attempting to contact the spirit of the recently deceased Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes. Price had arranged this séance at the National Laboratory of Psychical Research in London with Eileen Garrett as the medium, ostensibly to allow journalists to interview Conan Doyle's spirit.

However, the séance took an entirely unexpected turn when Garrett instead channelled the voice of Flight Lieutenant H. Carmichael Irwin, one of the R101's crew members who perished in the disaster. Unbeknownst to Garrett, her trance state gave way to Irwin's spirit rather than Conan Doyle's, and the séance was overtaken by astonishingly specific technical details about the issues that had brought down the airship.

The voice channelled through Garrett provided an array of startlingly accurate information, including details about the R101's insufficient engine capacity, elevator malfunctions, incorrect weight calculations, and even a reference to the ship nearly "scraping the roofs at Achy"  a tiny hamlet close to the crash site unlikely to be known to the medium. For 40 minutes, Irwin's spirit seemed to communicate a wealth of insider knowledge about the disaster through Garrett.

Price, a famously skeptical investigator, meticulously documented the session, realizing the profound implications if this truly represented communication from one of the victims. The technical accuracy of the information imparted appeared to be beyond Garrett's conscious knowledge at the time.

The Séances and Supernatural Encounters

Following the initial séance, Garrett continued to conduct sessions where she claimed to communicate with the spirits of the R101 victims, often in the very Cardington hangar in Bedfordshire where the doomed airship was built. These séances were marked by a pervasive sense of dread and encounters with restless spirits expressing frustration and sorrow, and also asking to be left alone, suggesting the souls of the lost crew and passengers were not at peace.

Harry Price's Continued Investigation

Price, known for his rigorous approach, was initially skeptical but became impressed by the startling technical accuracy of Garrett's mediumship. Experts like John Charlton from the Royal Airship Works concluded it seemed Captain Irwin himself had communicated through Garrett, providing around 40 references indicating confidential, first-hand knowledge of the R101 that she could not have known.

The Parapsychological Studies

Garrett's abilities garnered significant interest from the scientific community. In the 1950s, she helped establish the Parapsychology Foundation in New York, which conducted extensive research into her mediumship and psychic phenomena. In 1957, Jungian psychologist Dr. Ira Progoff analyzed Garrett's trance sessions and offered an interpretation that her "spirit controls" were not separate entities, but rather "symbolic forms of dramatization" representing deep "principles of life." However, for witnesses privy to the specificity of her communications, a spiritual explanation remained plausible.

Legacy and Ongoing Mysteries

The R101 disaster had a profound impact on British airship development, prompting critical safety reforms. The alleged supernatural accounts raised deeper questions about life after death and spirit communication. While some dismissed these stories as superstition, others believed that the voices from beyond the grave provided valuable insights into the tragedy.

Researchers like Price meticulously documented Garrett's mediumship, lending credibility to her abilities. The lasting allure of the R101's haunting tales ensures the story continues to captivate those seeking answers about the disaster's causes and the possibility of an afterlife.

Conclusion

The R101 disaster is more than a historical footnote; it's a tale of human ambition, technical shortcomings, and inexplicable voices from the other side. As we remember the crew and passengers lost, we're reminded that some mysteries defy rational explanations. The haunting of the R101 serves as a powerful testament to the enduring power of the human spirit and curiosity about the great unknowns that lie beyond our perception.

Whether one believes in the supernatural or not, the story of the R101 and the prophetic visions and mediumistic communications surrounding it continue to captivate and mystify. The voices and premonitions associated with the disaster have secured its place not just in aviation history, but in the annals of the paranormal, ensuring that its legacy lives on, both in tangible fact and the realm of the inexplicable.

Sources:

"Eileen Garrett and the World Beyond the Senses" by Allan Angoff

"Harry Price: The Psychic Detective" by Richard Morris

 "Harry Price Website" http://www.harrypricewebsite.co.uk/

“The Airmen Who Would Not Die” by John G. Fuller

"Fatal Flight The True Story of Britain's Last Great Airship" by Bill Hammack 

Should Parents Be Concerned About The Charlie Charlie Challenge?

Supernatural games have always been popular with both young and old. Just think about games such as ‘Bloody Mary’ and the Ouija Board, which have been around for a very long time. When one wants to connect with the afterlife, you either go to a medium or you play a supernatural game, but at your own peril. One of the latest supernatural games to come forward is the Charlie-Charlie Challenge. But should parents be concerned about this new game and their children’s interest in it?

What Is The Charlie-Charlie Challenge?

The game could be described as a basic version of the Ouija Board, which works with pencils. It has been heavily featured on social media and so a large number of children have been exposed to it. To start the game, the phrase “Charlie, Charlie can we play” is uttered. Then, a question is asked and participants wait for the pencil to move towards “yes” or “no”.

Do Supernatural Games Have A Harmful Effect On Children?

Supernatural games have been around for a very long time and have always fascinated the younger generation. Yet, despite their popularity, there is little research into the effects of these supernatural games on children.

Despite the lack of research into the effects of supernatural games on children, we do know some of the numbers in terms of these game sales. While the Charlie Charlie Challenge is quite rudimentary, there are actual supernatural games for sale in stores such as Toys R Us. In 2014, a Ouija Board marketed for children and young adults saw a sale increase of a whopping 300%!

Researchers have looked into why people are so fascinated with supernatural games. To understand this, we need to look at three reasons why people are so fascinated by horror films. These three reasons are relevance, tension, and unreal ism. In other words, some part of the horror film is relevant for the watcher, yet the viewer will experience suspense and a situation that is far removed from their own reality despite the relevance. A similar explanation could be found for the Charlie Charlie Challenge. Another theory by Dr. Carl Jung claims that supernatural scary films actually go deep into our collective subconscious and connect to a so-called primordial archetype. However, this theory is subject to quite a lot of criticism within the psychological society.

So, since there is no research into the effects of these games on the psyche of children and adults, it is impossible to determine if they are from a psychological standpoint. Of course, it also opens the door to some interesting psychological research that would be well-worth exploring.

Religious Standpoint

Since children are attempting to contact demons during the Charlie Charlie Challenge, there has been a reaction from the Catholic Church. One priest called Father Stephen McCarthy gave the following warning to his students:

"There is a dangerous game going around on social media which openly encourages impressionable young people to summon demons. I want to remind you all there is no such thing as 'innocently playing with demons'. Please be sure to NOT participate and encourage others to avoid participation as well. The problem with opening yourself up to demonic activity is that it opens a window of possibilities which is not easily closed."

Conclusion

As I often think from a psychological perspective, there is no evidence that playing supernatural games could cause harm to children. That being said, there is such a thing as common sense. Even though there is no evidence to prove that harm is being caused, there is no proof that no harm is being caused either. So, this is very much a case reminiscent of schrodinger's cat. It could, or it could not.

At the end of the day, it is important to educate children on the dangers of playing with supernatural games and their implications. Information and education tends to be the right course of action, even though if children seem to dismiss any efforts made towards it. But at the end of the day, the message will be in the back of their mind.

Premiere Documentary Series ‘Ghost Notes’ Mixes Music, Magic and Mystery

Lovers of music, magic, and mystery are in for a supernatural treat with the launch of GHOST NOTES, a deeply engaging, new documentary series that deftly fuses the mystical worlds of paranormal phenomena and music.

Believed to be the first of its kind, Ghost Notes is the collective brainchild of three self-styled, paranormal explorers: Ohio-based musician and tattoo artist Chad Wells, his wife Michelle Wells and Chad's band-mate Aarika Watson.

"I’m surprised that a documentary series like this hasn’t already happened," said Chad. "Music and the paranormal are extremely interlinked. When we feel the music, it feels like magic is happening - you get vibes and chills. The same thing happens in a spooky room or historic place."

"I’ve read interviews with Keith Richards from 1967 and he talked about how none of us really write the music. We just put up the antenna and catch what comes through. That’s an older outlook from a lot of musicians but it’s not talked about much. We want to take credit for what we have written but a lot of the time it just writes itself." Chad Wells

Music Channels of a Different Kind

Chad and Aarika are both vocalists in the Psychedelic Rock band Cricketbows and the acoustic offshoot Wells & Watson.

"As musicians on stage, it’s very tribal," explained Chad. "We create a massive electromagnetic field around ourselves with amplifiers, guitars, stage lighting. We kind of put ourselves in a box that allows for a flow-through of whatever you are opening yourself up to. That’s why we can get on a stage and play together and not have to think about theory or where it’s going. We just make it up as we go along and create fully formed songs with verses, choruses, and bridges. When we write music, we often just improvise and words come out that I wouldn’t have sat down and written myself - so that’s coming from somewhere."

Chad, Michelle, and Aarika recalled experiencing paranormal phenomena and other influences as children. When they began to share their personal stories, so began their collective experiences of undeniable paranormal activities.

"We’ve had so many strange, unexplained things happen in and around the Cricketbows band and in our personal lives," said Chad. "Michelle and Aarika would often find themselves on some little adventure in the back of a venue we were playing, or at a studio, we were recording at, and together they birthed the idea of doing a paranormal show."

Ghost Notes Sneak Peek

The Ghost Notes pilot episode introduces the show’s concept with an exploration of a reportedly haunted former speakeasy in Dayton, Ohio, uncannily attached to Chad’s business premises, Wells & Co. Custom Tattoos.

The investigation team conducts an experiment with a Spirit Box - a research device used for contacting spirits through the use of radiofrequency and white noise. It is believed that spirits can manipulate this energy to relay messages and answer questions.

"I think it (Spirit Box) allows Michelle and us to get into a place where her brain is interrupted by the white noise and puts her into a natural meditative or trance state without even trying. And there’s the sense that happens where we kind of just feel the right direction to go with the questioning. It tends to work in a way similar to automatic writing. Michelle is not hearing our questions or sensing what we are feeling. She is giving us something which is automatic. Like nature, it looks like wild chaos but as you come in, there’s order there."

The pilot episode also features Wells & Watson perform and record two songs; one is akin to a "Stream of Consciousness" improvisation based on cryptic graffiti found on the wall of the speakeasy; the other a cover of the dark, 80's closet classic "Silent Running", originally recorded by Mike + The Mechanics in 1985 (now streaming).

Incidentally, the first word the Ghost Notes team picked up on the Spirit Box was ‘success,’ which also happens to be the first word of the first song that Cricketbows played together as a band. An encouraging start to an extraordinary journey that is a clear-cut case of 'definitely meant to be'.

An Amusing Twist

"The problem with this whole thing for me is that I am 100% a skeptic," said Chad, "which is a good thing. But I can also feel myself getting swept in the drama of those moments of, ‘What was that? Was that a knock on the wall?’ I almost had a hesitance of going into this in case I was proven wrong - or proven right."

However, Chad has a completely open mind when it comes to the realm of the collective consciousness or energies that are available to everyone. "We try to feel our way and use our intuition. Even though I am a big skeptic, I was raised by a mother who was into numerology, astrology, etc so I see synchronicities everywhere, I see numeric clues everywhere, I can hear a word and it triggers my intuition. But Michelle and Aarika have it better than I do."

While many TV shows, books, and movies have conditioned us to believe that the paranormal realms are all dark, scary, dangerous places, the Ghost Notes team has had largely positive experiences with their new spirit friends and look forward to seeing where their unfolding destiny will take them. They are also respectful of the places, people and beliefs they encounter, apply safety and protection measures, and proceed with caution.

"The (Ghost Notes) show is not just for the sake of a show," said Chad. "It’s for the sake of our personal, spiritual and artistic growth. We would love to take this coast to coast and experience different places and different things. A big part of it for us is creating in those spaces. That’s why it’s important to put ourselves in new places to continue to create and explore things that are interesting and fascinating."

Ghost Notes Team: Aarika Watson, Chad Wells, Michelle Wells

Coming to a Streaming Platform Near You?

The Ghost Notes team’s long-term goal is to produce a weekly series but will initially aim for twice-monthly episodes to ensure quality content. And you never know - Ghost Notes may eventually find itself on a streaming platform near you!

In the meantime, if you know of a haunted place that you would like to see investigated, the Ghost Notes team would love to hear from you: ghostnotesparanormal@gmail.com.

Watch Ghost Notes Pilot on YouTube - Ghost Notes

Follow Ghost Notes - Facebook Instagram

‘Silent Running’ - Wells & Watson - YouTube Spotify Facebook

Cricketbows - cricketbows.com Facebook Spotify