Bristol 142 Blenheim | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1122LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Scheveningen. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Gordon Farrow, pilot,
Sgt Edwin Cyril Saunders, observer,
F/Sgt Oswald Harry Robinson, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV on Goodwin Sands

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 1150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V6369

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Manston - Manston

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The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1115LT on an anti-shipping operation. Damaged by enemy fire, it was returning to base when it crash landed on Goodwin Sands. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt L. Maguire, pilot,
Sgt E. R. Bangor-Jones, observer,
Sgt J. R. L. Haskins, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Conister Howl: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 0435 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8729

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Church Fenton - Church Fenton

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The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a solo training sortie on behalf of the 54 OTU. The goal of the exercise was searchlight homing under R/T. After departure, the pilot was unwittingly vectored over the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills by the by the ground-based controller. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
P/O Alexander Douglas McMurtrie, pilot.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Cockayne Ridge

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 0430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L1449

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Church Fenton - Church Fenton

MSN:

8732

YOM:

1939

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The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a solo training sortie on behalf of the 54 OTU. The goal of the exercise was searchlight homing under R/T. After departure, the pilot was unwittingly vectored over the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills by the by the ground-based controller. While attempting to break clouds at about 1,500 - 2,000 feet to see the searchlights, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was seriously injured.
Crew:
P/O Edward James Woodhead, pilot.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF at RAF Church Fenton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

K7090

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Church Fenton - Church Fenton

MSN:

8043

YOM:

1937

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The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton for his first night solo sortie. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located 1,5 mile from the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Cyril John Neighbour, pilot.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the pilot lost control of the airplane after he failed to maintain proper contact with his instruments while orbiting the flashing beacon owing to the presence of enemy aircraft in the vicinity.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Cape Gris-Nez: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7502

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

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The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1115LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Cape Gris-Nez. The observer was killed and two other crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Denis Graham-Hogg, pilot,
F/Sgt David William Wyatt, observer, †
Sgt James Marsden, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Gravelines

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V5595

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Manston - Manston

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The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1115LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Gravelines. All three crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Rupert Matland Kemp, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Albert Goold, observer,
Sgt Frederick Jack Soal, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Worth Matravers: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4832

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Christchurch - Christchurch

MSN:

9347

YOM:

1939

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The crew departed RAF Christchurch on a local test flight. While cruising off the Dorset coast, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 24 miles south-southwest of Worth Matravers. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Douglas Leonard Rayment,
Sgt Raymond Sadler.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the accident may be the consequence of an engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Rotterdam

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1941 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7362

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Oulton - Oulton

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The airplane departed RAF Oulton at 1600LT on an operation to Rotterdam. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed at Kruisstraat. All three crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Eric Sydney-Smith, pilot,
P/O Richard Adrian White, observer,
F/Sgt Edmund George Caban, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Delft: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1941 at 1706 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7496

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Norwich - Norwich

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The airplane departed RAF Horsham St Faith at 1517LT on an operation to Rotterdam. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Delft. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald James Brownee Rost, pilot,
Sgt John Hughes, observer,
Sgt Stanley William Winter, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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