A COMMEMORATION of the first German aircraft to be shot down over England during World War II has been held near Whitby.

Personnel from RAF Flyingdales and RAF Linton-on-Ouse were present, along with cadets, the Mayors of Scarborough and Whitby, and the Chairman of North Yorkshire County Council.

The event, on Sunday, February 1, was arranged by Syd Graham, of the Royal Air Forces Association Northern Area at the memorial site of the historic occasion.

It was on February 3, 1940 that Hurricane fighter planes from the RAF’s 43 squadron were scrambled to intercept the Heinkel 1-11 German aircraft which was attacking an unarmed trawler off the Whitby coast.

Flight Lieutenant Peter Townsend, pursuing the craft with Flying Officer ‘Tiger’ Folkes and Sergeant Jim Hallowes, fired first, killing a German and damaging one of the Heinkel’s engines.

His colleagues then fired and after the offensive the German plane crash-landed two miles away, injuring another on board, who died of his injuries. The two other Germans involved survived.

Prayers were said at the event, the Last Post played, and wreaths laid in memory of all the airmen involved.