Date & Time:
Dec 16, 1940 at 0350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
T4226
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
1899
YOM:
1940
Country:
United Kingdom
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 left RAF Topcliffe at 1704LT on December 15 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft due to fuel exhaustion. The bomber crashed into the sea at 0350LT some 32 km off Scarborough. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (77th Squadron):
Sgt Philip Rowe, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Douglas, pilot,
Sgt Philip James Anstey, observer,
Sgt Peter O'Neill Darbishire, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Henry Wake, air gunner.
Crew (77th Squadron):
Sgt Philip Rowe, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Douglas, pilot,
Sgt Philip James Anstey, observer,
Sgt Peter O'Neill Darbishire, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Henry Wake, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.
