Spitfire P8728 near East Appleton.
This 145 Squadron aircraft took off from Catterick airfield shortly after 01.00hrs on 19th October 1941 with the pilot detailed to undertake a night local flying exercise. The aircraft began to climb away as normal and then the pilot put the aircraft into a turn, the aircraft then briefly stalled causing the engine to cut out for a few seconds. Unfortunately the aircraft was not at a height at which the pilot could regain control. The aircraft dived into the ground near Leases Farm, East Appleton, just south of the airfield at 01.03hrs and the pilot was sadly killed.
Pilot - P/O William Mulhern RAF (67103). Aged 21. Buried Catterick Cemetery, Yorkshire.
William Mulhern was born in Dublin, Ireland. He received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 19th May 1941.
Spitfire P8728 was built to contract B.981687/39/CB/23(c) by Vickers Armstrong's Ltd, at Castle Bromwich and was delivered to 12 MU at
Kirkbride on 25th July 1941. Four days later it was taken on charge by 222 Squadron based at Southend and on 18th August 1941 it moved with
the unit to North Weald. On 30th August 1941 it transferred to 145 Squadron based at Catterick and as a result of the damage sustained in the
crash near Catterick on 19th October 1941 Cat.E2/FA damage was recorded. It was struck off charge on 26th October 1941.