Watton AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane was apparently mistakenly shot down by friendly fire and crash landed in Wimereux. All three crew members survived.
Crew:
P/O V. Rees, pilot,
Sgt N. V. Pusey, observer,
LAC K. E. Murray, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Lappion: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4904

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9386

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Watton to bomb troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crash landed near Laon. All three crew members survived, one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt L. H. Watkins, pilot,
Sgt David John Lees, observer,
LAC Kenneth Gordon Reed, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Laon

Date & Time: May 17, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4903

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9385

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Watton to bomb troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crash landed near Laon. All three crew members survived, one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Stanley J. Beaumont, pilot,
Sgt L. H. Wrightson, observer,
AC1 K. A.Thomas, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: May 17, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4898

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9380

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Watton to bomb troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was lost without trace and it is believed it crashed in the target area.
Crew:
P/O Severin Christensen, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Norman Phillips, observer,
LAC Peter Raymond Victor Ettershank, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Sévigny-la-Forêt: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4854

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9369

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Watton to bomb troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed in Sévigny-la-Forêt, France. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Toft, pilot,
Sgt Arthur George Bernard Crouch, observer, †
LAC Raymonde Morris, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Pancy-Courtecon: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4852

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9367

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Watton to bomb troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed in Pancy-Courtecon, France. A crewman was killed and two others survived.
Crew:
S/L Miles Villiers Delap, pilot,
Sgt R. F. Wyness, observer,
P/O Francis Stanley Jackson, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Gembloux: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4851

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9366

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 0450LT to bomb German troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was shot down by the pilot of a German Me.109 and crashed near the target area. A crewman survived and two others were killed.
Crew:
F/O D. A. Fordham, pilot,
Sgt Frank Fearnley, observer,
Cpl Allen Glyndwr Richards, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4838

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9353

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 0450LT on a bombing mission over Gemboulx, Belgium. It was shot down by a German Me.109 and crashed near Laon. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Alexander Moresby Gofton, pilot,
Cpl Thomas Henry Cummins, observer,
Sgt Frederick Stanley Miller, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in La Capelle

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8830

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Watton - Watton

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The airplane departed RAF Witton at 0450LT on a bombing mission over troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. En route, it was shot down by the German Flak. All three crew members bailed out and survived.
Crew:
F/O R. J. McConnell, pilot,
Sgt S. J. Fulbrook, observer,
LAC H. Humphreys, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by German Flak.

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

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4853

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9368

YOM:

1939

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Crashed in unknown circumstances while on a bombing mission over Gembloux. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt R. E. Newbatt,
Sgt J. K. Crawley,
Sgt A. V. Knowles.