Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Simonshaven: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Jun 6, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
P9232
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Honington at 2125LT on June 5 on a bombing mission over Duisburg. Shortly after entering the Dutch airspace, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. The captain ordered the crew to bail out and later attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft exploded in mid-air, disintegrated and crashed in a field located in Simonshaven, about 16 km southwest of Rotterdam. Four crew members became PoW while both pilots were killed.
Crew:
S/L George Ernest Peacock, pilot, †
P/O Bertram Arthur James, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Charles Hargrave, navigator and observer, †
Sgt A. K. Griffiths, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O Sedgwick Whiteley Webster, air gunner,
LAC C. Murton, air gunner.
Crew:
S/L George Ernest Peacock, pilot, †
P/O Bertram Arthur James, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Charles Hargrave, navigator and observer, †
Sgt A. K. Griffiths, wireless operator and air gunner,
P/O Sedgwick Whiteley Webster, air gunner,
LAC C. Murton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by German Flak.
