Date & Time:
Jun 6, 1944 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Registration:
KG429
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Down Ampney - Down Ampney
MSN:
12464
YOM:
1944
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
18
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, at 2316LT on June 16 to take part to the D-Day in Normandy with paratroopers on board. While cruising over Caen by night, the aircraft was hit by the German Flak and crashed in a field located in Colombelles, in the northeast suburb of Caen. A paratrooper survived while all 22 other occupants were killed.
Crew (233th Squadron):
F/O Munro Murdoch McCannell, pilot, †
W/O Nathan Louis Berger, radio, †
W/O Albert Theodore Downing, navigator, †
F/Sgt Alexander Robert Porter, navigator. †
Paratroopers (8th Btn):
Sgt Alfred Dockerill, †
Sgt James Albert Moir, †
Cpl Samuel Reuben Fewings, †
Cpl Thomas Robert Henry Longman, †
Cpl Leonard Frank Smith, †
Cpl John Patrick Boyle, †
Pte Roger Frank Cantin, †
Pte Sydney George Cox, †
Pte Charles Frederick Hollis, †
Pte Arthur Humphries, †
Pte Dennis Johnson, †
Pte Edward Jones, †
Pte R. P. Kent, †
Pte J. A. Mills, †
Pte W. Piggot, †
Pte J. Robinson, †
Pte W. H. Thorpe, †
Pte J. H. Watkins, †
CSM Leslie Jones.
Crew (233th Squadron):
F/O Munro Murdoch McCannell, pilot, †
W/O Nathan Louis Berger, radio, †
W/O Albert Theodore Downing, navigator, †
F/Sgt Alexander Robert Porter, navigator. †
Paratroopers (8th Btn):
Sgt Alfred Dockerill, †
Sgt James Albert Moir, †
Cpl Samuel Reuben Fewings, †
Cpl Thomas Robert Henry Longman, †
Cpl Leonard Frank Smith, †
Cpl John Patrick Boyle, †
Pte Roger Frank Cantin, †
Pte Sydney George Cox, †
Pte Charles Frederick Hollis, †
Pte Arthur Humphries, †
Pte Dennis Johnson, †
Pte Edward Jones, †
Pte R. P. Kent, †
Pte J. A. Mills, †
Pte W. Piggot, †
Pte J. Robinson, †
Pte W. H. Thorpe, †
Pte J. H. Watkins, †
CSM Leslie Jones.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.