Date:	Thursday 16 October 1941
Time:	04:55
Type:	Bristol Beaufighter Mk IIF
Owner/operator:	255 Sqn RAF
Registration:	R2377
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North Sea, half a mile from Happisburgh, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Coltishall, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Beaufighter R2377: Time of crash variously reported as 04:55 and 05:15 hours, a/c crashed in flames into sea bearing 110 deg., half a mile from Happisburgh Lighthouse and directly offshore of Happisburgh Cart Gap. No.1 Cromer Life Boat (the "H F Bailey") launched at 05:46 hours, reaching the position at about 07:30 hours. Parts of the a/c were found, and "the shattered body of one of the crew" (Tom Varley, radar operator) which was landed at 10:00 hours. This was a Beaufighter IIF, and 255 Sqn had a spate of crashes caused by engine failures and the inability of the a/c to maintain height on one Merlin.
Crew:
F/Sgt (748632) Walter BARKER (pilot) RAFVR - killed
Sgt (977495) Tom VARLEY (obs) RAFVR - killed

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?12715-Crash-Beaufighter-255-Squadron-RAF, AIR27/1518, log of the Happisburgh ARP Warden (can be seen online at [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.happisburgh.org.uk/history/255-squadron),] research by relatives of Walter Barker (Pilot) and 255 Squadron Association.

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Apr-2012 04:29	Nepa	Added
07-Apr-2012 04:43	Nepa	Updated [Location]
11-Nov-2014 14:05	Apen	Updated [Location, Narrative]
10-Mar-2015 07:56	angels one five	Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Narrative]
18-Mar-2015 12:22	Xindel	Updated [Operator, Location]
20-Apr-2015 04:16	angels one five	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Narrative]
20-Apr-2015 04:35	Angel dot comma	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport]
29-Jul-2015 13:31	chris eley	Updated [Location, Source, Narrative]
19-Apr-2022 09:05	Nepa	Updated [Narrative, Operator]