Date & Time:
May 31, 1942 at 0214 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7301
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Skellingthorpe at 2301LT on May 30 on a bombing mission to Cologne, Germany. Following an uneventful mission, the aircraft returned to its base in England. While overflying Belgium by night, the bomber was shot down by the German Flak. The captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. Sole on board, the pilot attempted to make an emergency landing in Bree, some 21 km northwest of Gent. But the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a drainage ditch and was destroyed. While the captain was killed, all six others occupants were unhurt and taken POW.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O Leslie Thomas Manser, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie H. Baveystock, pilot,
P/O Richard J. Barnes, radio navigator,
P/O Robert M. Horsley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stanley E. King, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Allan McF. Mills, air gunner,
Sgt B. W. Naylor, air gunner.
Photos: http://www.ww2crashsiteresearch.com/pagina57.html
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O Leslie Thomas Manser, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie H. Baveystock, pilot,
P/O Richard J. Barnes, radio navigator,
P/O Robert M. Horsley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stanley E. King, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Allan McF. Mills, air gunner,
Sgt B. W. Naylor, air gunner.
Photos: http://www.ww2crashsiteresearch.com/pagina57.html
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
