Hurricane P3083 near Ulley, Sheffield.

This aircraft was on charge with No.11 Service Flying Training School and appears to have been with the unit as part of a "security flight" for the purpose of defending the airfield at Shawbury should the attack come from enemy aircraft. The pilot was their Chief Flying Instructor and six days prior to force landing near Sheffield he was involved in a serious incident that may also have been why, six days later, he was near Sheffield. On 3rd November 1940 he had taken off from Shawbury and undertook an interception of an unidentified aircraft. He eventually shot at and damaged it before running out of ammunition. He then returned to Shawbury. It later became apparent the aircraft he attacked had been a friendly Wellington being flown on a delivery flight from Hawarden to Swinderby, while the Wellington pilot made it to Swinderby it was then further damaged on landing.

On 9th November 1940 the same pilot took off in Hurricane P3083 from Shawbury to again undertake a flight to challenge another unidentified aircraft. During the flight the pilot climbed into cloud at 800 feet and continued to climb to 20,000 feet where he was out of the cloud. He could find no trace of the aircraft he was intending on searching for so descended through cloud and rain. Once below the cloud base he found he was lost. In poor visibility he made a forced landing near Ulley, Sheffield at 15.00hrs with the undercarriage down but on landing it then collapsed. The landing was made near Beeches Farm, Ulley and he was taken to the village pub, The Royal Oak, by members of the Home Guard to await collection. The aircraft was damaged and later taken away on a lorry and repaired. The photograph above is believed to show the aircraft and the damage sustained in this incident though could relate to an earlier mishap at Gravesend (photo via Jim Rutland). Ulley Beeches Farm is now situated at the intersection of the M1 and M18 motorways. I thank Mr Garry Martin for contacting me regarding this incident and for submitting the recollections of Mr Edwin Mozely who witnessed the aircraft in the field as a small child.

The pilot found himself before a court martial on 12th December 1940 in regard to the 3rd November 1940 incident. It was recommended the security flights attached to non-operational airfields were discontinued after this incident. It also went much higher in the command chain and recommended some form of disciplinary action be taken against the Hurricane pilot and his commanding officer for disregarding recognition instructions. It also stated "such mistakes will continue to happen until pilots outside of Fighter Command realise their responsibilities".

Pilot - S/Ldr Patrick Herbert Maxwell RAF (29043).