Belgium

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed RAF Feltwell at 2120LT on May 21 on a reconnaissance mission over Dinant. Shortly after midnight, it was shot down by Flak and crashed in Kain, north of Tournai. Both pilots were killed while all three other crewmen became PoW.
Crew (75th Squadron):
F/L John Noel Collins, pilot, †
P/O Francis Albert Gabriel Joseph de Labouchere Sparling, copilot, †
Sgt G. Thorpe,
AC1 John Stanley Brooks,
P/O Leonard Phillip Redcliff Hockey.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 in Mouscron: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

V4+IT

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Luingne, in the outskirt of Mouscron. A crewman was killed and four others survived.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Tourpes: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P9298

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Marham - Marham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed RAF Marham at 2345LT on May 20, to bomb enemy positions in the Cambrai, Saint-Quentin and Le Cateau-Cambrésis triangle. While overflying the combat area, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in a field. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (115th Squadron):
F/S Leonard G. Moores, pilot,
Sgt Alfred H. Hooper, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth W. Hughes, observer,
AC1 John T. Packer, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 Gerard E. Flanigan, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC2 Douglas Duggan, wireless operator and air gunner.

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

Date & Time: May 18, 1940 at 1015 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R3702

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Vitry-en-Artois - Vitry-en-Artois

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Maubray. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
P/O Roy A. Durie, pilot,
Sgt Robert Burns, observer,
AC1 William George Murdoch, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.

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

Date & Time: May 17, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4898

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9380

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

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 Gembloux: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4851

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9366

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 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 Gembloux: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4853

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9368

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

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.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Écaussinnes-d'Enghien: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1940 at 1040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4913

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Wyton - Wyton

MSN:

9395

YOM:

1939

Location:

Écaussinnes-d'Enghien

Hainaut

Country:

Belgium

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Wyton to bomb bridges over the Meuse. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed in Écaussinnes-d'Enghien. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Ernest Edwards, pilot,
Sgt Charles Thomas White, observer,
LAC Stanley Johnson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Écaussinnes-d'Enghien: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1940 at 1040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N6217

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: