Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Kabribahar: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1940 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L4920
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Aden - Aden
MSN:
8935
YOM:
1939
Location:
Kabribahar
Woqooyi Galbeed (وقويي جالبيد‎)
Country:
Somalia
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Following the attack of Italian positions in Dire Dawa, the aircraft was damaged by the pilot of an Italian fighter. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a desert area located near Kabribahar, some 95 km northeast of Hargeisa. A crew was injured, a second was unhurt and a third was killed.
Crew:
P/O D. Hunter, pilot,
Sgt R. Ellis, observer,
Sgt Reginald Olley, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of an Amiot 351 in Stidia: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Amiot 354
Operator:
Registration:
I-150
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
80
YOM:
1940
Location:
Stidia
Mascara
Country:
Algeria
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all four crew members.
Crew:
S/Lt Gabriel Yves Marie Le Pape, pilot,
Sgt/C Georges René Lebeau, pilot,
Sgt Jean Désiré Feral, radio operator,
Sgt/C Maurice Georges René Hugon, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 130 Bombay I in Libya: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 130 Bombay
Operator:
Registration:
L5850
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
MSN:
SH.43
YOM:
1939
Location:
Libya
All Libya
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the Libyan desert while on its way to el-Gubba, east of Tobruk. W/O N. P. Donnelly survived and became a PoW while four other occupants were killed.
Crew (216th Squadron):
F/S Benjamin T. M. Baker, pilot, †
F/L John B. W. Smith, pilot, †
LAC Alfred F. Crohill, †
Cpl William C. Royle, wireless operator and air gunner, †
W/O N. P. Donnelly.

Special thanks to Nigel Hartley for his testimony.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Al-Jaghbub: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 14, 1940 at 0830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8524
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Fuka - Fuka
Location:
Al-Jaghbub
Butnan (البطنان)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Fuka to attack the Italian positions in Al-Jaghbub. Approaching the target, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Scott Davies, pilot,
Sgt Geoffrey Edward Negus, observer,
LAC John King Copeland, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Sidi Barrani: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1940 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8519
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Fuka - Fuka
Location:
Sidi Barrani
Matruh
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following a night bombing mission over El Adem, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Sidi Barrani. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice C. Thurlow, pilot,
Sgt Bernard Alfred Feldman, observer,
AC1 Henry Robinson, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Tobruk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1940 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8476
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Fuka - Fuka
Location:
Tobruk
Butnan (البطنان)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea some 30 km east of Tobruk. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Bower,
Sgt Stanley G. Fox,
AC1 John W. Allison.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV I near El Adem

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L4823
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Fuka - Fuka
MSN:
8838
YOM:
1939
Location:
El Adem
Butnan (البطنان)
Country:
Libya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Fuka on a bombing mission over Italian positions in El Adem. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed 7 km from El Adem. All three crew members were seriously injured and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O D. Beauclair, pilot,
Sgt H. J. Owen, observer,
LAC J. Dobson, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Qalet el-Nakhl: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1940 at 0220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8386
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Fuka - Fuka
Location:
Qalet el-Nakhl
North Sinai
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed Fuka Airfield on a night training mission. While cruising in limited visibility, the pilot lost his bearings and was attempting to find formation and locate his position when the airplane impacted the slope of a mountain located near Qalet el-Nakhl, some 100 km east of Suez. A crew member was rescued while three others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald Henry Claxton, pilot, †
Sgt Nicholas Frank Smith, observer, †
LAC R. J. King, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Robert Casson Jobling, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Fuka

Date & Time: May 9, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8472
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Fuka
Matruh
Country:
Egypt
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a training flight, the twin engine airplane crashed on hilly terrain near Fuka. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O C. Thomas, pilot,
Sgt S. Davies, observer,
AC1 C. Richardson, wireless operator and air gunner.
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