On 13th April 1942 the crew of this No.2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit aircraft were undertaking a local flying training exercise and before taking off from Catfoss airfield the pilot was given an order to keep the airfield in sight. The aircraft left the immediate area of the airfield and flew into poor weather over the Scarborough area, they became lost after flying into low cloud. Just prior to the crash it was seen to cross the coast just north of Scarborough heading inland towards high ground. Whilst flying level the aircraft struck a hillside at 18.25hrs, a few miles north of Cloughton. The investigation questioned why the pilot had continued the flight when he encountered bad weather, he should have returned to base and landed when the visibility became bad. The aircraft wreckage was apparently cleared from the surface by a party of Army trainees stationed nearby. The pilot had 22 hours flying time on the Beaufighter at the time of the crash.
Beaufighter T4724 was built to contract B41906/39 by Fairey Aviation Company Ltd, at Heaton Chapel, Stockport and was delivered to 33 MU at Lyneham on 20th July 1941. After acceptance it was taken on charge by No.2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit at Catfoss on 11th September 1941. It was transferred to 236 Squadron at Carew Cheriton on 29th December 1941. It was used operationally by them 8th and 14th January 1942 (which became the only two times it was flown operationally). 236 Squadron moved to Wattisham on 9th February 1942 and this aircraft was then transferred back to No.2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit on 17th February 1942 when 236 Squadron ceased operating Beaufighters prior to a move to the Middle East. On 13th April 1942 it crashed near Cloughton. Cat.E2/FA(Burnt) damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge. It had clocked up just 62 hours flying time from new.
Pilot - Sgt William Bray RAFVR (1075896), aged 21. Buried St Thomas's Churchyard, Greetland, Yorkshire.
Wireless Operator / Observer - Sgt Arthur Broadbent RAFVR (1050128), aged 25. Buried Brandesburton Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Both men were from the Halifax area of Yorkshire and both deaths were listed in the same Bradford Observer casualty list.
Arthur Broadbent was born on 30th May 1916 at Halifax and was the son of Lawrence and Gertrude Annie (nee Halliday) Broadbent. He had a younger brother called Douglas, born in December 1919. When the 1939 register was compiled he was an assistant mill manager for Patons and Baldwins Ltd, a waste textile yarn manufacturer at Halifax, where his father was a manager.
William Bray was born on 28th March 1921 at Halifax, West Yorkshire and was the son of Albert and Ethel (nee Wilson) Bray. he had an older brother, Harold born in 1915. The family lived at Greetland. When the 1939 Register was compiled his father was a coal merchant but William's name is redacted owing to his date of birth.
I do not know where this crash site is, should anyone be able to shed any light on where it may be to allow me to photograph the general area I would be most grateful.
"http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=149229" has an outdated version of my webpage text copied to their page. If someone connected with this organisation didn't blatantly copy my research then this would not occur.