Blenheim L8674 near Wetwang (?).
On 9th April 1942 this 54 Operational Training Unit aircraft was flown on a night training flight that included flying to positions as indicated by vectors received via the radio. The weather at the time was good, there were no low or high cloud in the area around Driffield when, at 01.40hrs, the aircraft dived into the ground from 5,500 feet at a near-vertical angle several miles west of Driffield. The pilot was killed in the crash. An investigation could not determine the cause of the crash because the aicraft had totally disintergrated in the impact. The location given in the pilot's casualty file gives the location as "three miles west of Driffield" but also a map reference that plots to being close to Wetwang village.
Pilot - Sgt Harry James Beck RAF (656311), aged 21. Buried Chislehurst Cemetery, Kent.
Harry Beck was born on 25th March 1921 at Clapham, London. By the time of his death his father, Mr J. Beck, was living at Sidcup, Kent.
Blenheim L8674 was built to contract 551920/37 by Rootes Securities Ltd. at Speke and was awaiting collection in June 1939, it was then taken on charge by 23 Squadron at Wittering after MU preparation. It later moved to Colleyweston with the squadron on 31st May 1940 and Ford on 12th September 1940. Around 10th May 1941 it was transferred to 406 Squadron RCAF at Acklington when the unit formed but in September 1941 406 Squadron began conversion to Beaufighters so the aircraft was transferred to 54 OTU at Church Fenton. As a result of the crash near Driffield on 9th April 1942 Cat.E2/FA Burnt damage was the assessment and it was written off.