Beaufighter V8609 at Castle Eden, Co.Durham.
On the night of 14th / 15th March 1943, 219 Squadron Beaufighter V8609 was involved in combat with a Dornier Do217 off Hartlepool, the crew of the Beaufighter shot down the Do217 but they were hit by return fire which seriously damaged the Beaufighter. I include a mention of this incident in these webpages to clarify where Beaufighter V8609 came down as a previous account of this incident that was once on the internet stated the aircraft made it back to Scorton airfield. This was not the case. I also include mention of this incident as one of the crew was later buried at Catterick Cemetery.
Navigator / Wireless Operator - F/Lt Charles Ronald Strange RAFVR (115534) was serving with 219 Squadron when he died on 14th March 1943 as a result of baling out of Beaufighter V8609 over the North Sea after combat with a Do217 off Hartlepool. His body was found by an ASR launch the following day and later buried in Catterick Cemetery. He was thirty three years old and the son of Charles William and Lilian Strange; and husband of Eleanor Isobel Strange, of Chiswick, Middlesex. His aircraft was piloted by S/Ldr James Storrs Morton DFC, who delayed baling out until he was over land, and survived. The aircraft crashed nearby at Hutton Henry near Castle Eden, Co.Durham.
