Blenheim T2337 at Church Fenton airfield.
During the afternoon of 20th July 1941 this 54 O.T.U. aircraft was coming into land at Church Fenton but was landing on the wrong runway, as the aircraft came to
the runway intersection the pilot noticed another aircraft on another runway taking off. Both pilots tried to pull up to avoid hitting each other but this
aircarft collided with Oxford V3623 at around fifty feet over the airfield. This aircraft crashed inverted onto the airfield and the pilot was
slightly injured. On this day the wind kept changing direction so the runway the pilots were ordered to land on was being constantly being altered.
The photograph above shows the crash scene and almost certainly the remains of the Blenheim, it is hard to believe the pilot escaped with only minor injuries.
Pilot - Sgt Jozef Feruga PAF (P.780455). Slightly injured.
Possible Air Gunner - F/Sgt Serefin PAF.
There was also a W/O pilot Josef Feruga PAF who later flew with 316 Squadron, he was killed flying Mustang FB120 with them on 1st March 1945
and is buried in Choloy War Cemetery, France. This airman was born in 1914 in Dziedzice. It is likely that both airmen are infact the same person.
The flying career of Jozef Feruga is still being researched as there is a gap in his story. What is known is that he had flown with 255 Squadron
in late-May and early-June 1941, on 6th June 1941 he was posted to 307 Squadron with a F/Sgt Serefin (who was his regular air-gunner) and flew
Defiant night-fighters. Sgt Feruga was involved in a landing accident two days later on 8th June 1941 when, after landing, he raised the
undercarriage lever on Defiant N3336 instead of the flaps lever. The following day he was posted out to 54 OTU to convert to fly twin
engine aircraft (with F/Sgt Serefin).
Blenheim T2337 was built to contract 1485/39 by Rootes Securities Ltd. at Speke and was awaiting collection in October 1940. It was initially
taken on charge by the Airborne Interception/Air to Surface Vessel School but on an unknown date it transferred to 54 OTU at Church Fenton. As a
result of the accident on 20th July 1941 it was written off with Cat.E2/FA damage being recorded on the paperwork. An AIR81 casualty file is now available at the National Archives but I have yet to view it.