Beaufighter X7773 damaged by enemy action, further damaged on landing at Church Fenton airfield.
In the early hours of 28th July 1942 an approaching enemy aircraft was picked up approaching the Yorkshire coast. Church Fenton were informed when the aircraft was around twenty miles east of the Humber and it was
flying at around 6,000 feet. Beaufighter X7773, of 25 Squadron, was already patrolling off the Yorkshire coast and was despatched to investigate. The Beaufighter took off from Church Fenton at 00.48hrs. At 01.33hrs
the crew of the Beaufighter were at around 9,000 feet and made contact with the aircraft which turned out to be a Dornier Do.217 that was flying around 1,500 feet higher. The Beaufighter tracked it for several minutes
and whilst climbing to position to make an attack the enemy aircraft opened fire on the Beaufighter. A short burst of gunfire struck the Beaufighter which damaged the hydraulics and the electrical system. The port
engine also caught fire. Oil was sprayed around the cockpit and onto the windscreen of the Beaufighter so the pilot were unable to maintain a visual fix on the Dornier and broke off their attack. A short time later the radar
operator saw that the Dornier was in a position to make another attack. The Beaufighter pilot put their aircraft into a steep dive and they lost the Dornier. The dive caused the fire to go out and the pilot pulled out
at around 2,500 feet. After the radar operator had done his best to clear the windscreen of oil they set course for Church Fenton. Their aircraft flew through, but avoided the Hull barrage balloons, then made it back to
Church Fenton on one engine. The pilot made a belly landing at 02.49hrs on the grass at the side of the runway. The pilot struck his face on a large experimental gunsight mounted in the cockpit but was only slightly injured.
The pilot gave lengthy interviews to the IWM and talks about this incident in detail.
Pilot - S/Ldr John Basil Wray RAF (37874).
Navigator / Radar Operator - P/O Anthony Chevallier Griffith RAFVR (116610).
Beaufighter X7773 was built to contract B.65570/40 by the Bristol Aeroplane Co.Ltd. at Old Mixon. On 9th January 1942 it was flown to 51 MU at
Lichfield and on 22nd May 1942 it passed to 30 MU at Sealand but went back to 51 OTU on 9th June 1942. On 25th June 1942 it was taken on charge by
219 Squadron at Acklington. On 21st July 1942 it was transferred to 25 Squadron at Church Fenton. As a result of the damage sustained on 28th July 1942,
Cat.A/FB damage was the damage assessment and it was repaired on site. On 6th November 1942 it was transferred to the F.I.U. at Ford. On 11th December
1942 it was destroyed and its two crew killed in a crash near East Dean, Sussex. Cat.E2/FA damage was the damage assessment and it was struck off charge.