Blenheim L1250 at Catfoss airfield.
On 25th March 1942 this aircraft was having it's engines run up prior to taking off when a member of ground crew ran into a rotating propeller while he was removing
the chocks and was killed instantly.
Ground crew - AC2 Thomas Edmund Bray RAFVR (1117818), aged 22, of Altrincham. Buried Altrincham Bowdon & Hale Cemetery, Cheshire.
I thank Mr Ross McNeill for the basic information that AC2 Bray was killed in this incident. "www.traffordwardead.co.uk" has additional information on his life
and states that his family were originally from Hale and he had been a boy chorister at St.Peter's Church in Hale. He joined the Metro-Vicker's Company as a Machine
Operator in February 1938 and was a keen athlete, he played football for Metro-Vics and Hale United. He enlisted into the RAFVR in December 1940 and had just passed
his Flight Mechanics course when he was killed. He is also commemorated on a memorial at Metro-Vickers in Trafford Park.
Blenheim L1250 was built to contract 527114/36 by The Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd. at Filton and was awaiting collection in June 1938. It was initially taken on charge by 34 Squadron at Upper Heyford in July 1938 when the unit began converting from Hinds to Blenheim Mk.I's. It then moved to Watton with 34 Squadron on 2nd March 1939 but three months later was transferred to 18 Squadron at Upper Heyford when the unit began converting from Hinds to Blenheim Mk.I's. On 30th September 1939 this squadron moved to Beauvraignes, France and then on 18th October 1939 to Meharicourt. Around 8th April 1940 it was flown back to the UK and transferred to 17 OTU at Upwood when the unit formed. On an unspecified date in 1941 it was transferred to 2 (C)OTU at Catfoss. As a result of the ground accident on 25th March 1942 the aircraft doesn't appear to have been damaged and this would have resulted in an assessment of Cat.U/GA. In late 1942 it was transferred to 42 OTU at Andover and then moved to Ashbourne on 24th October 1942 with the unit. On 11th July 1943 it was transferred to 12 (P)AFU at Grantham but crashed on 28th December 1943 after suffering an engine failure, the pilot attempted a forced landing at Stoke, Lincolnshire, but crashed. The damage was assessed and Cat.E2/fa damage recorded and it was written off.