The Airmen's Stories - P/O A M Cooper-Key

Aston Maurice Cooper-Key was born on 19th August 1918, the son of Major Astley Langrishe Cooper-Key (1886-1946) and Kathleen Juliette Ansell (1896-1968). Their home was at Hythe in Kent.

Major Cooper-Key had served in France and Gallipoli in WW1.

AM Cooper-Key attended Seabrook Lodge School in Hythe and then went to Sherborne School. He joined the RAF on a short service commission in April 1938.

After completing his training he was posted to 23 Squadron at Wittering on January 14th 1939.

On 22nd February 1940 Cooper-Key was aloft at night from Wittering in Blenheim L1450 with LAC Elliott for a searchlight co-operation flight in an area of the east coast.

They were vectored to a suspect plot over Hunstanton. They chased the plot but came under fire which put the radio out of action.

Breaking off, they found themselves over the Yorkshire coast and with the fuel level being low the aircraft was force-landed on Redcar Racecourse at 23.45hrs. The two men were unhurt.

Cooper-Key moved to 46 Squadron at Digby in July 1940. On the 24th he was killed when he crashed on a railway embankment west of Peartree Station, Normanton near Derby, attempting a forced-landing in Hurricane P2685.

It is believed that he aborted a landing on a recreation ground there when he spotted boys playing football.

Cooper-Key was 21.

He is buried in Scopwick Burial Ground, Lincolnshire.

In July 2008 a memorial service was held at the crash site.