On 22nd February 1940 this 23 Squadron aircraft was being flown on a searchlight co-operation flight in an area of the east coast but much further south than in Yorkshire. The aircraft took off at 20.45hrs and was based at Wittering with the flight probably being on the coast around The Wash. During this co-operation flight approaching aircraft were picked up on Allied early warning equipment and this aircraft was sent to intercept in an area around Hunstanton. The aircraft is believed to have sustained damage after combat with enemy aircraft and the radio equipment also failed. Finding themselves much higher up the Yorkshire coast and almost certainly with the fuel level being low the aircraft was force-landed on Redcar Racecourse at 23.45hrs. The two men on board escaped injury but the aircraft was slightly undamaged, either by bullets from the enemy aircraft or as a result of the forced-landing.
Pilot - P/O Aston Maurice Cooper-Key RAF (40802), of Hythe, Kent.
Air Gunner - LAC Elliott.
Aston Cooper-Key was born in Kensington, London in 1918 and was the son of Major Astleigh Langrishe Cooper-Key. He was granted a short service commission in the
RAF in April 1938 as Acting P/O on probation before being graded as P/O on 4th April 1939. After completing all his training he was posted to 23 Squadron in January
1939 where he served until being posted to 46 Squadron in July 1940. He was to be killed on 24th July 1940 when Hurricane P2585 crashed near Normanton, Derbyshire
after the aircraft suffered engine failure. He is buried at Scopwick Church, Lincolnshire. He was twenty one years old. On 24th July 2008 a memorial was erected close
to the site which occurred on a railway embankment.
Blenheim L1450 was built to contract 527114/36 by The Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd. at Filton, Bristol and was delivered to the RAF in January 1939. It was issued to 23
Squadron at Wittering later that year. Following the incident on 22nd February 1940 Cat.R damage was the damage assessment and it was then inspected by 60MU but it may well have never
been fully repaired as it was converted into ground instructional airframe 3169M in March 1941 at an unknown location.
