Date & Time:
Dec 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
L7799
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2015LT on December 21 to bomb an industrial area located in Porto Marghera, near Venice, Italy. While returning to base the following night, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Lullington Court, some 12 km northwest of Eastbourne. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (9th Squadron):
Sgt Robert Norman Harrison, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Gapp, pilot,
Sgt Leslie William Nichols, navigator and observer,
Sgt Maurice Holker, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Riley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Docker, air gunner.
Crew (9th Squadron):
Sgt Robert Norman Harrison, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Gapp, pilot,
Sgt Leslie William Nichols, navigator and observer,
Sgt Maurice Holker, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Riley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Docker, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The causes and circumstances of the accident were undetermined. Maybe the aircraft ran out of fuel or was attacked by enemy fire.
