J. E. M. Pritchard

Major John Edward Maddock Pritchard (1889 – 24 August 1921), was a British military officer who served in the RNAS, commanding non-rigid airships, and later in the Royal Air Force. He was the first pilot to navigate arrival in the United States by air from Europe. Pritchard was killed when the airship R.38 broke its back and exploded in 1921.

Early life Pritchard was born in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, in 1889. His father was of Welsh origin, but was born in the United States, and fought there during the Civil War.

He was educated privately and at Trinity College, Cambridge. In September 1917 he was posted to the Admiralty Airship Department, where his duties included examining the remains German airships which had been brought down, much of the data gathered being used in the design of British rigid airships. He also translated any documents that were found. He was a member of the crew of R.34 on its transatlantic flight, and on the airship's arrival in America parachuted from it to give instructions to the ground handling party, making him the first person to arrive in the United States by air. He also maintained that turning tests should not be performed at low altitude, but should follow the German practice of performing these trials at over . On the airship's fourth flight it broke its back during a series of sharp turns at while over the Humber Estuary, killing 44 of the 49 on board, including Pritchard. His body was never recovered.

Awards Pritchard was appointed OBE in June 1919 and awarded the Air Force Cross for "distinguished service during and after the War" in December 1919.