Date & Time:
Apr 25, 1941 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6370
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
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.
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.
