On 7th October 1943 the crew of this 604 Squadron aircraft took off from Scorton airfield to undertake an airtest during the afternoon. An Army passenger was allowed to fly in the aircraft for air experience. At 14.45hrs the aircraft stalled while making a steep turn and as the aircraft was flying at low level there was not enough height left to recover control of the aircraft, it crashed near Killerby Home Farm, south of Catterick airfield and sadly all on board were killed.
Pilot - F/Lt Ole Bechgaard RAFVR (107285), aged 31. Buried Catterick Cemetery, North Yorkshire.
Navigator - F/O Edward James Jefferies RAFVR (129733), aged 30. Buried Marlborough Cemetery, Ilfracombe, Devon.
Passenger - Lt Kenneth Robert Hipkin RA (217143), aged 31, of Walthamstow. Buried Walthamstow Churchyard, London.
Ole Bechgaard was born in Dally, Sweden on 21st December 1912 to Danish parents Poul and Elizabeth Johanne Bechgaard and was a grandson of Danish composer Julius Bechgaard. His commission and promotions are not listed in the London Gazette. He was one of just thirty Danish pilots killed during the War in RAF service.
Edward Jefferies received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 8th January 1943 and rose to F/O six months later.
Kenneth Hipkin was serving in the Royal Artillery; specifically with the 5th Bttn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 408 Bty, 53rd Searchlight Regiment. He was attached to 604 Squadron RAF at the time of this accident on 7th October 1943 for flying experience.