During the afternoon of 1st May 1943 several 308 Squadron aircraft undertook a formation flying exercise which Spitfire BL690 was one of the aircraft used. While flying at 1500 feet the engine of this aircraft failed. The pilot was able to glide down and successful forced landing in a field with the undercarriage up. The AM Form 1180 gives the location as being near Batrudding Farm, Appleton Roebuck. This farm is next to Acaster Malbis airfield which was open at the time.
Pilot - F/O Karol Marschall PAF (P/1817).
Karol Marschall appears to have arrived in the UK in early 1941. He served at No.1 Air Gunnery School (possibly as a staff pilot involved in target towing duties) from July 1941 to February 1942 before posting to 58 Squadron in March 1942 and then to 308 Squadron in May 1942 until October 1943. He served with 306 Squadron between November 1943 and August 1944 and then as an instructor at 61 OTU from November 1944 to March 1945. He finished his PAF flying with a return to 306 Squadron from April 1945 to October 1946. Post-war he settled in UK, married in Hendon area of Middlesex in 1945 and died in Watford in 1997.