Quote:
Originally Posted by Graeme
Sgt Ladislaw KOROUREK (787343) (Czech) in Spitfire Mk.I X4266 from 57 OTU, RAF Eshott, collided in mid-air with Spitfire Mk.I AR222. Korourek was killed when possibly trying to attempt a forced-landing at Broderick Farm (sic), Warkworth in his damaged aircraft. It went through a hedgerow and as it did so, the cockpit section apparently broke free of the airframe, leaving the pilot's body on top of the hedge. The farmer, Mr Foster, later helped RAF personnel dig out the aircraft's Merlin engine which had buried itself ten feet down.
The mention of "Broderick Farm" presumably relates to Brotherwick.
Sgt Korourek is buried at Chevington and his grave would have been the one you saw.
AR222 crashed nearby and was destroyed by fire. An RAF recovery team - possibly from No.83 Maintenance Unit, RAF Woolsington (now Newcastle Airport), removed the wreckage from both crash sites.
Both X4266 and AR222 would have been fairly "clapped-out" Spits, having long been relegated from front-line duties (which by 1943 would have been flying Spitfire Mk.XIs).
Graeme
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To confirm, Jimmy Foster farmed Brotherwick farm upto the 70s when the current tenants took over. He lived in the end terrace next to the railway bridge and used to "show" shirehorses. My grandparents farmed the next door farm so I have a good idea which was his land (by the way my grandmother's sister was Norah Robson of Cliffhouse Farm Togston who had their own tragedy later that year in December 1943)
Unfortunately, my grandparents are not around to ask as they would certainly have known exactly where the aircraft crashed.