Mosquito III VA876 near Yarm.

This aircraft had been damaged in a landing accident at Thornaby on 14th March 1948. A repair on site was begun by 58 M.U. early in April 1948. By 25th August 1948 was deemed "Ex-ROS" on the AM Form 78 and passed to 43 Group to complete the repair and sign it off as servicable. 60 M.U. also had some involvement with it as it is mentioned in their records as being completed in August 1948. Unfortunately 608 Squadron appear to have assumed the aircraft was servicable before it was and it was still on a Cat.Ac damage assessment. On 10th September 1948 it was flown from Thornaby but suffered from the starboard engine failing just after take-off from Thornaby airfield. The pilot, who was flying solo, incorrectly feathered the port engine but before he could correct the error height was lost and he was left to make a forced belly-landing two miles south of the airfield, near the Yarm to Acklam road in a field. The original Cat.Ac damage assessment was cancelled on 10th September 1948 and then new damage to the aircraft was initially assessed Cat.B on 16th September 1948, then re-assessed on 13th October 1948 and written off with Cat.E2 damage. It is possible that the Mosquito was being flown away from Thornaby by a 608 Squadron pilot to another unit when this incident occurred but I have no proof of this as yet.

Pilot - "F/O R Williams DFC RAF".

The pilot was possibly one Eric Ralph Williams RAF (153949) although the only reference located showing his name gives it as shown above. Eric Ralph Williams received a commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) 29th October 1943 rising to F/O (war subs) on 29th April 1944. On 29th October 1945 he was promoted to F/Lt (war subs). For his flying in the War and service with 88 Squadron he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 20th July 1945. Although no date has been found he must have been placed on the reserve list in 1946 as he was recalled to the RAFVR active list on 18th February 1947 resuming the rank of F/Lt. This was made a substantive rank of F/Lt on 1st November 1947 with seniority of 12th June 1947. He was awarded a permanent commission of F/Lt on 8th December 1948. He retired from the RAF on 31st May 1958 as F/Lt.
Mosquito VA876 was built to contract ACFT/1576 by D.H. at Leavesden and was delivered to the RAF in July 1946. After acceptance it was issued to 608 Squadron at Thornaby on 29th October 1946. It sustained Cat.E2/FA damage in the incident near Yarm detailed above.

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