On 9th August 1942 the crew of this 25 Squadron aircraft were undertaking a non-operational flight to calibrate ground control interception equipment when the aircraft suffered a failure of the port engine near Thirsk. The pilot, who was inexperienced in piloting the Beaufighter type, made a wheels-up forced-landing in a field close to Abbotts Close Farm, near Sutton under Whitestone Cliff at 16.00hrs. It was thought that with more experience the pilot could have made it to an airfield to land the aircraft rather than belly land it where he did. The crew of three were all uninjured in the landing. After a later inspection of the port engine it was found that the main bearing had failed. Aviation historian Mr Ken Reast was able to speak to local people some years ago, his research located the crash site but the aircraft made a near to perfect belly-landing in the field. The aircraft was taken away by road and re-built with the engines being the most damaged parts. Nothing remains in the field where it landed.
Pilot - Sgt Michael Harold Griffith RAFVR (1171174).
Navigator / Radar Operator - Name unknown.
Wireless Operator - Name unknown.
Michael Griffith was born in Wellswood, Torquay, Devon to Dr Harold and Mrs Helena Griffith. Sadly less than three months after this mishap near Thirsk he was killed on the 7th November 1942 when his 25 Squadron Beaufighter stalled whilst coming into land at Pocklington airfield. The aircraft crashed beside the canal at Bielby. He was killed but the navigator had a lucky escape after he was thrown clear. Sgt Griffith is buried at Barmby Moor Churchyard, Yorkshire and was still only twenty years old. I thank his niece for contacting me in January 2014 and for kindly supplying the photograph of him shown above.
Beaufighter X7706 was built to contract B65570/40 by the Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd at it's shadow factory at Weston Super Mare. It was delivered into MU storage in August 1941 and after preparation for night-fighter operations it was issued to 25 Squadron at Ballyhalbert on 31st January 1942, it moved with the unit to Church Fenton on 16th May 1942. It suffered Cat.A(c)/FA damage in the incident detailed above on 9th August 1942. The are no details of its repair but it is unlikely to have been repaired on site with two Cat.B engines. After repair it was returned to 25 Squadron at Church Fenton. It transferred for training duties to 51 OTU at Cranfield on 20th June 1943 and served with them until being placed into MU storage on an unspecified date. It remained in MU storage for at least three years until being struck off charge and 'sold for scrap' on 28th June 1948.