Spitfire AR320 at Thornaby airfield.

During the afternoon of 14th April 1943 this 401 Squadron was flown on what was described in the squadron records as a local flying exercise. The pilot was one who was using a forward operating base of Thornaby at the time to assist Fighter Command with providing a faster reponse to investigate any suspected enemy aircraft that were plotted as incoming over the North Sea. He appears to have taken off from Thornaby at 15.30hrs but on approach to land at Thornaby airfield the selector box jammed so he was left to belly land on the aerodrome at 16.15hrs. He was commended by his squadron commander for his actions which caused minimum damage to the aircraft.

Pilot - F/O Arthur Christian William Avery Bishop RCAF (J/13101).