Watton AFB

Operator:

Registration:

L9210

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was shot down during a night bombing mission and crashed in Festieux. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Joseph Grierson, pilot,
Sgt Joseph William Paul, observer,
AC2 John Hedley Patterson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: May 12, 1940 at 2040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L8739

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 7,000 feet over Belgium, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Tongeren. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Arthur David Watson, pilot,
Sgt Alan Lawrence Fortescue Webb, observer,
LAC Arthur Christopher Burgess, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Watton: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 11, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

P6886

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9411

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While overflying Belgium at an altitude of 15,000 on a reconnaissance mission, the airplane was hit by Flak. The crew decided to return to RAF Watton when the airplane crashed on approach. A crewman was killed and two other occupants were injured.
Crew:
P/O P. MacDonald's, pilot +1,
AC1 Robert Charleton, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1940 at 0405 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L8740

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Watton at 0400LT on an anti-submarine patrol mission. Five minutes after takeoff, while climbing at night, the airplane went out of control and crashed in Attleborough, about 10 km southeast of the airbase. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ian Stapledon, pilot,
Sgt Walter Jonathan Wetton, observer,
LAC John Brayfield Ball, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Watton

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1940 at 0906 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P6887

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9412

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During initial climb out from RAF Watton, the airplane impacted a tree located past the runway end, stalled and crashed, one minute after takeoff. All three crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
S/L G. A. M. Pryde,
Sgt Jennings,
AC1 O'Connor.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Scharhörn Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4842

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9357

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1230LT on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. Approaching the Germa coast, the airplane crashed into the Elbe Estuary off the Scharhörn Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Christopher Howell Blake, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Sinclair Weightman, observer,
AC1 Samuel Newton Middleton, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Heligoland Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 16, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L8759

Flight Phase:

Flight Type: