Date & Time:
Apr 7, 1942 at 0238 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7470
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Woolfox Lodge at 0035LT on April 7 on a bombing mission to Essen, Germany. While overflying Belgium by night, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter, dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Piringen, some 3 km east of Tongeren. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (61st Squadron):
F/Sgt Eric William Noble, pilot,
Sgt Lloyd John Holmes Lincoln, pilot,
Sgt Robert Eastwood Newton, observer,
Sgt Kenneth Leyshon, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Donavan Peter George Kent, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Neville James Patton, air gunner,
Sgt George Henry Walker, air gunner.
Crew (61st Squadron):
F/Sgt Eric William Noble, pilot,
Sgt Lloyd John Holmes Lincoln, pilot,
Sgt Robert Eastwood Newton, observer,
Sgt Kenneth Leyshon, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Donavan Peter George Kent, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Neville James Patton, air gunner,
Sgt George Henry Walker, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
