On 19th December 1943 this aircraft was being flown on a target towing flight, almost certainly off the west coast. The unit the aircraft the aircraft belonged to was 650 Squadron and they had only just formed at Cark on 1st December 1943 to be an anti-aircraft co-operation flight. The Martinet would tow a target which the anti-aircraft units would fire at. During the flight on this date the aircraft suffered from engine failure so the pilot made a good belly landing on the beach near Ravenglass at 15.25hrs. The damage was listed as being Cat.B on the accident record card which would suggest that it was dragged up the beach before the tide came in. The aircraft was later repaired. The drogue operator's full identity is not yet known.
Pilot - Sgt Joseph Valentine RAFVR (1394844), Burntisland, Fife.
Drogue Operator - LAC Hudson.
Joseph Valentine had served with 289 Squadron earlier in 1943 and was posted to 650 Squadron when it formed on 1st November 1943. He was later posted to 291 Squadron possibly when they were flying Martinets but they later converted to fly Hurricanes. As F/Sgt he was killed on 6th September 1944 flying Hurricane PZ736 from a repair depot at Castle Bromwich back to 291 Squadron who were based at Hutton Cranswick airfield in Yorkshire. The aircraft flew into high ground near South Newbald, on the Yorkshire Wolds, in poor visibility and he was killed. He is buried in Burntisland Cemetery, Fife and was twenty eight years old. I credit John Burnett with the photograph of his gravestone.