Date:	Tuesday 30 April 1946
Time:	day
Type:	Bristol Beaufighter TT Mk X
Owner/operator:	254 Sqn RAF
Registration:	RD538
MSN:	QM-L
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	River Orwell, near Shotley, 8 miles SE of Ipswich, Suffolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	RAF Langham, Norfolk
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Beaufighter RD538/L: Written off when in collision with Beaufighter RD717/X. 30/04/1946
The two Beaufighters involved (RD538/L and RD717/X) were part of a formation of four aircraft flying over the river Orwell, near Harwich Harbour, Harwich, Essex
During a formation change, Beaufighter RD538 collided with RD717, near Shotley, eight miles south east of Ipswich, crashed into the river Orwell, and disappeared. One aircraft (RD717) came down in a field at Kirton, a village nearby, and pilot and navigator climbed out unhurt, save for a shaking and cuts. It is understood that the third Beaufighter was able to regain its base at RAF Langham, Holt, Blakeney, Norfolk, where it had taken off. Sadly, both the crew of Beaufighter RD538 were killed.
Crew:
Flt/Lt (149536) John Mark HAYTON (Pilot) RAFVR - killed
W/O (1601159) Edward Sidney Clement SMALL (Nav.) RAFVR - killed

The reported crash location of Beaufighter RD538 was at Shotley, a village and civil parish 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Ipswich in the English county of Suffolk. It is in the Babergh district and gives its name to the Shotley peninsula between the Rivers Stour and Orwell.

1. Halley, James (1999). Broken Wings – Post-War Royal Air Force Accidents.
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft PA100-RZ999.
3. Final Landings: A Summary of RAF Aircraft and Combat Losses 1946 to 1949.
4. ORB 254 Sqn RAF for the period 1-6-1945 to 30-09-1946: National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR27/1516/35: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8397472
5. "RAF Write-offs 1946": Air Britain Aeromilitaria 1979 p.98: https://air-britain.com/pdfs/aeromilitaria/Aeromilitaria_1979.pdf
6. https://www.rafcommands.com/database/wardead/details.php?qnum=19951
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2720417/john-mark-hayton/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2714163/edward-sidney-clement-small/
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotley

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

31 December 1943	JM???	254 Sqn RAF	0	RAF Long Marston, Warwickshire, England		min
18 February 1944	LZ417	254 Sqn RAF	2	Missing - North Sea		w/o

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-May-2021 10:19	Nepa	Added [Operator]
12-May-2021 10:25	Anon.	Updated [Cn, Location, Source, Narrative, Operator]
14-Jul-2021 12:17	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category]
25-Oct-2022 20:39	Nepa	Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Operator]
10-Nov-2022 11:18	Nepa	Updated [Narrative, Operator]
16-Nov-2022 11:35	Nepa	Updated [Cn, Source, Operator]
29-Jun-2023 20:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [[Cn, Source, Operator]]