Spitfire K9838 near Eryholme.
On 16th March 1939 this 41 Squadron took off from Catterick to undertake a training flight. During the flight the aircraft entered a dive and due to the high speed involved when the pilot tried to pull the aircraft level a wing broke off. The aircraft then broke up in the air and fell onto land around Carling Holme Farm, near the village of Eryholme, between Darlington and Northallerton. The pilot was killed.
Spitfire K9838 was built to contract 527113/36 by Vickers Armstrongs at the Supermarine Factory, Eastleigh and was delivered to 41 Squadron on 11th January 1939. Following the crash near Eryholme on 16th March 1939 Cat.W/FA damage was the assessment and the aircraft was written off.
Pilot - Sgt George Verdun Serjeant RAF (565774), aged 22. Buried Teighmouth Cemetery, Devon.
Born Liskeard, Cornwall in 1916 George Verdun Serjeant was the eldest son of George D and Florence H (nee Symons) Serjeant, who married in Spring 1915 in Liskeard. Following pilot training at 6 F.T.S. he was posted to 41 Squadron in October 1938.