Date & Time:
Jul 31, 1941 at 2323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
L2166
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The floatplane and its crew was dropping depth charges when it was shot down by enemy fire coming from the Italian submarine named 'Delfino'. It went out of control and crashed into the sea some 22 km off the Libyan coast. Four crew members were rescued and eight others were killed.
Crew (230th Squadron):
F/Lt Engert Brand, pilot,
P/O Ernest Edward Dennis, pilot,
F/O Raymond Edward Packington, pilot, †
F/O Robert Miles East, observer, †
F/Sgt Robert Horsburgh, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt George Cyril Starkey, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Jack Ivor Mell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt William Murray White, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stephen Edward Gould, air gunner, †
Sgt Edward Shoosmith, air gunner, †
Sgt W. H. Yates, air gunner,
LAC Geoffrey Elliot Cooper, radio operator. †
Crew (230th Squadron):
F/Lt Engert Brand, pilot,
P/O Ernest Edward Dennis, pilot,
F/O Raymond Edward Packington, pilot, †
F/O Robert Miles East, observer, †
F/Sgt Robert Horsburgh, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt George Cyril Starkey, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Jack Ivor Mell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt William Murray White, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stephen Edward Gould, air gunner, †
Sgt Edward Shoosmith, air gunner, †
Sgt W. H. Yates, air gunner,
LAC Geoffrey Elliot Cooper, radio operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
