On this day in Yorkshire 1948

AN injured, R.A.F. Spitfire pilot who baled out over the moors near the Swaledale village of Keld yesterday was located in the fog and heavy rain by a search party of five and taken on horseback for medical treatment.

His machine, which earlier had been reported missing, struck a hillside five miles above Keld and was found embedded in the ground to a depth of seven feet. It was completely wrecked and later burned itself out.

The pilot, Flying Officer P. Geldard of Lytham, injured his ankle and is now at the R.A.F. Station, Catterick Camp.

The aircraft was seen in trouble by Mr. G. W. Whitehead, a farmer, of Pry House, Keld, who, with Police Sergt. Gegg and three other men, began a search of the moors.

After finding the crashed machine, and with visibility down to 20 yards as weather conditions worsened, they went on to look for the pilot.

They eventually found him sitting down and unable move further.

He had begun to walk to the village, but his ankle gave way completely after walking only a short distance.

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