Hurricane L1854 near Church Fenton.
On 25th September 1940 while the pilot of this 85 Squadron aircraft was in the circuit of Church Fenton airfield and waiting to land following a formation flying exercise when the aircraft suffered engine failure. The pilot attempted a forced landing but it ran into a furrow in the arable field and sustained damage.
Pilot - P/O Richard Courtney Graves RAFVR (83289).
Richard Graves received a commission to the rank of Acting P/O on probation on 17th August 1940 and was later confirmed in the rank of P/O. He had been flying with
253 Squadron briefly from 9th to 13th September 1940 but was posted to 85 Squadron from 14th to 27th September 1940 before being posted back to 253 Squadron on 28th September.
The very next day he was in combat over the South of England in Hurricane V6621 and injured in this combat with an Bf109 over Chailey, Sussex when his Hurricane was mistakenly
attacked by a 501 Squadron Hurricane. Earier in the day he had himself shot down a Bf109. He was promoted to F/O (war subs) on 17th August 1941 and later to F/Lt (war subs) exactly a year later. After recovering he saw service in Egypt and later in what was Ceylon. He died in 1976, possibly as the result of either a car or flying accident, though this cannot have been in England or Wales as no death registrations with his initials are recorded on the deaths registers.
Hurricane L1854 was built to contract 527112/36 by Hawker Aircraft Company Ltd. at Brooklands / Kingston and was awaiting collection in December 1938. After a period of MU storage
it was taken on charge by 46 Squadron at Digby in February 1939 when the unit began converting from Gauntlet MkII's to Hurricane MkI's. On 9th December 1939 it moved with the unit
to Acklington and on 17th January 1940 with unit back to Digby. On 9th May 1940 it was transferred to 229 Squadron also at Digby when 46 Squadron embarked on HMS Glorious for the
Norwegian campaign. On 17th May 1940 it transferred to 213 Squadron at Wittering and was immediately detached to Merville, France but returned to Wittering on 21st May 1940. On
9th June 1940 it moved with this unit to Biggin Hill and on 18th June 1940 with unit to Exeter. On 3rd September 1940 it was transferred to 85 Squadron at Castle Camps as a
replacement for losses incurred whilst the unit were based at Croydon and two days later this squadron moved to Church Fenton. Cat.W/FA damage was recorded following the incident
detailed above and it was written off.