Date & Time:
Mar 28, 1940 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
N1357
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Driffield at 2305LT on March 27 on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. During the back trip to UK, the bomber strayed into the Dutch airspace and was shot down by the pilot of a Dutch fighter before crashing in flames in Pernis, southwest of Rotterdam. A crew member was killed while all four other occupants were rescued. It is possible the that Sgt Miller have fallen from the airplane just seconds prior to the final impact.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O T. J. Geach,
F/O W. P. Copinger,
Sgt J. E. Miller, †
LAC S. H. E. Caplin,
AC2 R. B. Barrie.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O T. J. Geach,
F/O W. P. Copinger,
Sgt J. E. Miller, †
LAC S. H. E. Caplin,
AC2 R. B. Barrie.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Dutch fighter.
