Beaufighter V8593 near Scorton airfield.

During the late evening 17th August 1943 the crew of this 604 Squadron aircraft were depatched from Scorton airfield at 21.40hrs to undertake an operational patrol of the Humber area, under the instruction of ground controllers at Patrington. They were then sent to eventually intercept what was believed to have been approaching enemy aircraft. The crew of this Beaufighter stated that they shot down one Dornier Do.217 at 23.45hrs and then damaged another (listed as probably destroyed) at 00.05hrs but may also have sustained damage by returning gunfire. The port engine spluttered at the end of this second combat and believing that they were running low on ammunition they turned for home rather than to continue to intercept a probable third enemy aircraft. The subsequent combat report gave their location as being twenty miles north east of Skegness for these combats. On the approach to land at Scorton airfield at 00.45hrs on 18th August 1943 the port engine cut out. The aircraft lost height and the pilot eventually made a crash landing around a hundred yards short of the west to east runway. It may also have struck some form of hut whilst crash landing but what this was is unlear. Both airmen sustained injuries and were sent to Northallerton Friarage Hospital. The pilot sustained a fractured skull and neck injuries. the navigator's safety harness broke and his innjuries resulted after being thrown against the roof of the aircraft. An investigation found that the port engine cut out owing to being starved of fuel. There was plenty of fuel remaining but the fuel cock was set for the engine to receive fuel from a tank that was dry.

Pilot - F/Sgt Jack Wilkinson RAFVR (947110). Injured.

Navigator / Radar Operator - F/Sgt Peter Catchpole RAFVR (658202).

Peter Catchpole was born on 23rd April 1921 at Seven Kings, Essex and was the son of William Harry and Linda Mabel (nee Mirehouse) Catchpole. He enlisted for RAF service on 17th April 1939 but had previously served in the Army. Whilst stationed in North Yorkshire in 1943 he married. He was granted a commission to the rank of P/O on probation on 24th May 1944 (179137) and rose to F/O on 24th November 1944. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for service with 604 Squadron, the citation was a joint one with a regular pilot (F/Lt Reginald Arthur Miller RAFVR (123201)) with whom he flew with in the months after August 1943. The citation reads.. "These officers have completed very many sorties in the role of pilot and observer respectively. They have displayed a high degree of skill and resolution and have destroyed three enemy aircraft at night. Pilot Officer Catchpole has also assisted in the destruction of another enemy aircraft." On 12th August 1944 he was flying with F/Lt Miller when they crashed Mosquito MM496 on landing at Picauville. He appears to have emigrated to Victoria, Australia in 1959 and died there in 2010.

Jack Wilkinson was born on 12th December 1918 at East Bierley, West Yorkshire and was the son of George and Beatrice (nee Firth) Wilkinson. He enlisted for RAF service on 17th January 1940. He received a commission in late-1944. He married in 1943 and died in the Halifax area in 1997.

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