On 7th August 1940 this 616 Squadron aircraft undershot a landing at night at Leconfield airfield following a night flying practice and suffered slight damage when it collided
with the perimeter fence. The pilot was not injured.
Pilot - Sgt Thomas Emrys Westmoreland RAFVR (741143), of Huddersfield, Yorkshire.
Thomas Westmoreland was born in Huddersfield in June 1913 and learned to fly in late 1936 gaining his A-Class flying certificate in January 1937, he joined the
RAFVR in May 1938 as a trainee pilot. On 25th August 1940 he was killed following combat with a Bf109 flying Spitfire R9819 which crashed over Maidstone. His body
was never found and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. He was twenty seven years old.
Spitfire K9817 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd. at Woolston and was taken on charge by 66 Squadron at Duxford on 29th October
1938. On 17th November 1939 it was transferred to the care of 616 Squadron at Leconfield. On 23rd February 1940 it moved with the unit to Catfoss and on 9th March 1940
back with unit to Leconfield. On 27th May 1940 it moved with the unit to Rochford and on 6th June 1940 back with unit to Leconfield. It sustained Cat.R(b)/FA in the
incident as detailed above on 7th August 1940 and was deemed too badly damaged to be repaired on site, on 12th August 1940 it was transported to AST Ltd. at Hamble
for repair. On 12th September 1940 it was flown to 6 MU at Brize Norton to be taken on charge by PRU at Heston on 20th September 1940. On 6th October 1940 it was sent
to Scottish Aviation Ltd. at Prestwick (but no reason given, but it must have been either for modifications or repair). On 14th November 1940 it was flown to 12 MU
at Kirkbride and on 13th January 1941 it was taken on charge by 58 OTU at Grangemouth. On 21st January 1941 it suffered Cat.R/FA when it swung on landing at Grangemouth,
ran into soft ground and uundercarriage collapsed. On 23rd March 1941 it was transported to Scottish Aviation Ltd. at Prestwick for repair and on 2nd
May 1941 it was flown to 45 MU at Kinloss. On 17th July 1941 it was taken on charge by 53 OTU at Heston. On 9th October 1941 it suffered an unspecified Cat.M incident
and was repaired on site by a team from Vickers Armstrong's. These repaired were complete by 15th October 1941 and it was returned to 53 OTU
charge. On 2nd June 1942 it suffered Cat.B/FA damage when the undercarriage collapsed on landing at Northolt.
On 8th June 1942 it was transported to AST Ltd. at Hamble for repair and on 8th September 1942 it was
flown to 39 MU at Colerne. On 3rd February 1943 it was taken on charge by 58 OTU at Grangemouth. On 26th
February 1943 it sustained Cat.B/FA damage at Grangemouth when it was taxied into a ditch. It was
transported to Scottish Aviation Ltd. at Prestwick for repair on 6th March 1943 and when this was complete it
was flown to 45 MU at Kinloss on 6th May 1943. On 23rd May 1943 it was taken on charge by the Fleet Air Arm
but remained in store at Kinloss until August 1943 when it was taken on charge by 759 Squadron FAA at Yeovilton.
In November 1943 it transferred to 794 Squadron FAA at Hentsridge and in September 1944 to 759 Squadron
at Yeovilton. On 13th April 1945 it returned to RAF charge for scrapping and nothing further is known after this date.