Harrow K7031 at Nostell Priory, Wakefield.
On 17th December 1940 this 271 Squadron aircraft was being flown to Doncaster from Prestwick, via Jurby on the Isle of Man when it suffered engine failure as it neared Doncaster.
At 16.20hrs the pilot attempted to force land near Nostell Priory at Wakefield but while attempting the landing the aircraft struck a ridge between two fields which tore off the port wheel, the undercarriage collapsed on landing and it was further damaged when the staboard engine broke away and the fuselage broke behind the cockpit area.
Those on board escaped serious injury, the most severely injured appears to have been the pilot who sustained face and hand injuries including the severing of a finger.
Pilot - Sgt Wilfrid Lane Payne RAF (741022). Injured hand and face.
Second Pilot - Sgt Antoni Kujawa PAF (P/780833). Injured back.
Passenger - Ac1 Thomas Millington RAFVR (980688). Broken leg.
Passenger - Ac1 R Harden RAF (639049).
Passenger - Ac1 Foster RAF (610219).
Passenger - Ac2 John Thomas Gratrix RAFVR (1052025). Facial injuries.
Wilfrid Payne received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 12th July 1941 (101512). He was posted to No.1 PRU on 20th July 1942 and later to 540 Squadron and first flew operationally with them on 19th September 1942. On 20th February 1943 he was the pilot of Mosquito DZ466 undertaking a photo-recce of the Paris area when he landed the aircraft on a beach in France and both he and his then navigator, Sgt A J Kent, became PoWs. He was had been promoted to F/O on 12th July 1942 and rose to F/Lt on 12th July 1943 but resigned his commission on 24th February 1946.
Antoni Kujawa sustained an injured back in this incident. I thank his son-in-law for kindly contacting me with the crew list for this incident which was found in his flying logbook and in other papers.
Harrow K7031 was built to contract 435062/35 by Handley Page Ltd. at Radlett and was delivered to the RAE at Farnbrough on 14th February 1938. On 11th July 1938
it was transferred to AAEE at Martlesham Heath but on 8th September 1938 after all the testing was complete it was transferred to 26 MU at Cardington (ASU)
for storage. On 31st January 1939 it was taken on charge by 215 Squadron at Honington where it was coded "-O". On 25th July 1939 it was flown to 24 MU
at Ternhill for storage but on 11th September 1939 it was taken on charge by 10 AOS at Warmwell. On 1st January 1940 this unit was re-designated 10 BGS. On 13th
October 1940 it was transferred to 271 Squadron at Doncaster and was used by them until December 1940 when the incident recorded above occurred. Following
this accident it was assessed and Cat.W/FA damage was recorded after assessment on 1st January 1941 when it was struck off charge as beyond economic repair.
It had flown a total of 355.55 hours during it's life. The Air Britain service history records state this accident at Wakefield took place on 13th December
1940 which is not correct. The 271 Squadron ORB, AIR81 casualty file and the AM765c accident record give the date as being on 17th December 1940 which must be all correct.