Date & Time:
Dec 18, 1939 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 408 Wellington IA
Operator:
Registration:
N2940
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 0855LT on a reconnaissance flight. Approaching the German coast, the aircraft was probably shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Wilhelmshaven. No trace of the aircraft nor the five crew members was found.
Crew (9th Squadron):
P/O Eric Francis Lines, pilot,
F/S Alfred Kitto Fearnside, copilot,
AC1 Edward Malcolm George Polhill, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Alex Morrison Dickie, air gunner,
AC2 Clifford Walker, air gunner.
Crew (9th Squadron):
P/O Eric Francis Lines, pilot,
F/S Alfred Kitto Fearnside, copilot,
AC1 Edward Malcolm George Polhill, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Alex Morrison Dickie, air gunner,
AC2 Clifford Walker, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
