Spitfire L1006, location unknown, near Driffield.
On 26th January 1940 the pilot of this 610 Squadron aircraft force landed the aircraft in the region of ten to twelve miles north of Driffield after he the wireless set failed, he became lost and eventually ran low on fuel. The location is not known but would probably have been in the Foxholes area if the distance quoted is precise. 10 miles north is quoted on the Form AM1183 forced landing card. The 610 Squadron records state that he was undertaking the "Dummy Run" at the time of the flight, the squadron were based at Wittering so why he ended up over Yorkshire is not yet known. The aircraft was repaired but may infact have landed with the wheels down and have suffered very little damage. The pilot returned to his home airfield by train.
Pilot - Sgt Stanley John Arnfield RAF (564115).
Stanley Arnfield was born in October 1913 and joined the RAF way back in 1930 as a fitter but later re-mustered as a pilot. He baled out of Spitfire R6686 on 24th August
1940 off Ramsgate and broke his ankle on landing. He received his commission in July 1941 and later transferred to Bomber Command. He was later awarded the DFC for service
with 166 Squadron, Gazetted on 30th June 1944. Post war he remained in the RAF until February 1951 but sadly died in September 1954.
Spitfire L1006 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrong's (Supermarine) Ltd at Woolston and was first test flown on 6th June 1939. It was delivered to
10 MU at Kirkbride (ASU) on 12th June 1939 where it remained for four months until being issued to 610 Squadron at Hooton Park on 2nd October 1939. It later moved
with the unit to Wittering on 10th October 1939. Following the incident detailed above near Driffield in January 1940 Cat.M/FA damage was recorded and was repaired
It later returned to 610 Squadron and moved with the unit to Prestwick on an unknown date in April 1940 and then down to Biggin Hill on 10th May, then to Gravesend
on 26th May 1940. Four days later on 29th May 1940 it failed to return from shipping patrol over English Channel
after it was shot down by Bf109's. Cat.W/m was recorded on the airframe. The pilot on this occasion was sadly never found and is commemorated on the Runnymede
Memorial. On this date it was one of four 610 Squadron Spitfires lost on the same patrol, only the body of one was ever found.