Zone

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Westkapelle: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1941 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6370
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley on an anti-shipping mission. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed into the sea some 5 km west of Westkapelle. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Roland Needham, pilot,
P/O Thomas Keightley-Smith, observer,
Sgt Francis Harley Bridgman, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Westkapelle: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R3905
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham on an anti-shipping mission. While approaching the Dutch coast at low level, it was shot down by ship's Flak and crashed into the sea one km off Westkapelle. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
S/L D. B. Gericke, pilot,
Sgt Denis Charles Staples, †
F/Sgt Edward Watt Rae. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.