On Wednesday, 16th June 1954 this aircraft was one of at least five from 66 Squadron that took off from Linton on Ouse airfield to undertake a training exercise in preparation for large scale "Exercise Dividend" that was planned to take place in July. Part of the exercise saw four of the Sabres undertake a formation flying exercise over the general coastal area of East Yorkshire. Another Sabre then acted as an attacking aircraft and made a simulated attack. The four Sabres then made a turn to port and during the turn a collision occurred between Sabre XD711 and Sabre XD716 in the area north-west of Hornsea, roughly over the village of Dunnington. Both pilots immediately lost control and ejected though both sustained minor injuries. Both aircraft crashed near Dunnington. An RAF vehicle on it's way to the crash sites ran off the road and partly overturned in a ditch near Carnaby. Both pilots were picked up by a helicopter from 275 Squadron, also based at Linton on Ouse.
One (XD711) lost part of one of the wings and then crashed near Billings Hill, south-west of Dunnington, with the pilot landing in a wheatfield nearby. The other aircraft (XD716) crashed in a bean field between Pinderhill Farm and Dunnington but with this pilot's parachute drifting some distance toward the coast before come down in a field. Both crash sites were located by a group containing Albert Pritchard, Eric Barton and Ken Reast with permission from each of the land owners. Small fragments were located that confirmed the sites and Eric appears to have worked out which one was at which location which I state above.
(XD716) Pilot - P/O John Robin Rumbelow RAF (2517294).
Fragments located and retained by historian Eric Barton awaiting rehoming.