Valentia K2345 at Catterick airfield.
The aircraft (pictured above) was built as a Victoria before it was converted to a Valentia (photo via Mr Jim Rutland). On either 4th or 5th September 1939 (the exact date of the accident is not known) this No.1 Electrical and Wiring School aircraft overshot a landing at Catterick airfield when the grass runway was wet and shorter than was required for this larger twin engined bi-plane to land on. The aircraft ran through the boundary hedge and came to rest on or very close to the Great North Road. There were a number of people on board but the only injuries are believed to have been to the pilot. The out-dated Valentia was used as a flying classroom at the time and it seems likely that there were trainee wireless operators on board at the time. The Valentia type were initially built as Victoria's but many were converted into Valentia's by adding better engines and strengthening for the new engines. This was the first military aviation mishap or accident to occur in Yorkshire since war was declared.
Pilot - F/O James Frederick Henry Booth RAF (37958). Slightly injured.
Passengers - Names unknown.
No.1 EWS (or Electrical and Wiring School) was a Unit dedicated to the training of wireless operators, it was re-named No.1 Signals School in August 1940.
Valentia K2345 was built to contract 101677/31 by Vickers (Aviation) Ltd., at Weybridge as a Vickers Victoria and was delivered to the Director of Technical Development (Air Ministry)
at Vickers on 2nd October 1931 but this probably meant it was simply rolled across the tarmac to another part of the factory. It was flown to the RAF Packing Depot at Sealand on 10th
November 1931 and sent by ship to the Aircraft Depot at Hinaidi, arriving their on 5th December 1931 where it was assembled and prepared for use by 70 Squadron at Hinaidi. It later
transferred to 216 Squadron at Heliopolis on 12th January 1933 and then to the RAE at Farnborough, arriving there on 13th October 1933 for loudspeaker trials. It returned to Vickers
(Aviation) Ltd at Weybridge for conversion to Valentia on 21st August 1934 and on completion of conversion it was passed to 2 ASU (Aircraft Storage Unit) at Cardington on 1st March
1935. It was then issued to the Electrical and Wireless School (E&WS) at Cranwell on 14th January 1936. E&WS became 1 E&WS on 1st November 1938. After the damage sustained in the mishap at Catterick it was assessed and declared Cat.W as beyond economic repair. It was struck off charge on 29th October 1939.
James Booth was awarded the DFC for service with 142 Squadron in 1943.