Libya

Operator:

Registration:

L1491

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

El Alamein - El Alamein

MSN:

8774

YOM:

1939

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The crew was engaged in a raid over Ain el Gazala when he was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel shortage. The airplane crash landed in a desert area located in Bir el Gobi. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Eric Garrard-Cole, pilot,
Sgt Walter Braithwaite Smith,
AC2 Edward Pearce Doolin.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I off Bardia

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1940 at 0640 LT

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Registration:

L8436

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Survivors:

Yes

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The aircraft was shot down by ground fire and crash landed into the sea off Bardia. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O David Ivor Pike, pilot,
Sgt Redvers Charles Lidstone,
Sgt John Greenhow Taylor.

Probable cause:

Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I off Tobruk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1940

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Registration:

L8522

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Schedule:

Fuka - Fuka

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Approaching Tobruk, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Ralph Harry Knott, pilot,
Sgt James Douglas Barber, observer,
LAC James Patrick Toner, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I off Tobruk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1940

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Registration:

L8447

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Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero

Schedule:

Maaten Bagush - Maaten Bagush

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The airplane departed Maaten Bagush to attack El Gubbi Airfield. It was shot down by the pilot of an Italian fighter and crashed into the sea off Tobruk. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Walter Ronald Price Knight Mason, pilot,
Sgt James George Juggins, observer,
Sgt George Kenneth Biggins, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero near Tobruk: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1940 at 1730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

I-MANU

Flight Phase:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

Schedule:

El Feteyat - Tobruk

MSN:

32040

YOM:

1940

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The three engine aircraft departed El Feteyat Airfield at 1700LT bound for Tobruk. Half way down, the crew informed ground he was about 160 km east of his departure point. While approaching Tobruk, the aircraft was hit by ground fire, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in some 60 km west of Tobruk, bursting into flames. All nine occupants were killed, among them the Italian Minister of Aviation Italo Balbo.
Crew:
Marechal Italo Balbo, Pilot,
Maj Ottavio Frailich, copilot,
Cpt Gino Cappannini, flight engineer,
Sgt-Major Giuseppe Berti, radio navigator,
Enrico Caretti,
Lino Balbo,
Claudio Brunelli,
Nello Quilici,
Cino Florio.

Probable cause:

One day after the crash, the Italian Government announced officially that the airplane had been accidentally shot down by the Italian navy ship named 'San Giorgio' mooring off the Libyan coast. The airplane was obviously misidentified.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I in Libya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 130 Bombay

Operator:

Registration:

L5850

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Desert

MSN:

SH.43

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Libyan desert while on its way to el-Gubba, east of Tobruk. W/O N. P. Donnelly survived and became a PoW while four other occupants were killed.
Crew (216th Squadron):
F/S Benjamin T. M. Baker, pilot, †
F/L John B. W. Smith, pilot, †
LAC Alfred F. Crohill, †
Cpl William C. Royle, wireless operator and air gunner, †
W/O N. P. Donnelly.

Special thanks to Nigel Hartley for his testimony.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Al-Jaghbub: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1940 at 0830 LT

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Registration:

L8524

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Site:

Desert

Schedule:

Fuka - Fuka

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The airplane departed Fuka to attack the Italian positions in Al-Jaghbub. Approaching the target, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Scott Davies, pilot,
Sgt Geoffrey Edward Negus, observer,
LAC John King Copeland, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1940 at 0540 LT

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

L8476

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

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Schedule:

Fuka - Fuka

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The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea some 30 km east of Tobruk. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Bower,
Sgt Stanley G. Fox,
AC1 John W. Allison.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV I near El Adem

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1940

Type of aircraft: