Zone

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Laboissière-en-Santerre: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1940 at 0254 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R3634
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Metz - Poix-Croixrault
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Metz on a reconnaissance mission over the Ruhr, Germany. While returning at night, the crew failed to locate the airfield due to poor visibility caused by mist. A crew member bailed out but was found dead. Both other crew members were uninjured after the airplane crash landed in a field.
Crew:
S/L W. B. Murray, pilot,
Sgt Douglas Gordon Bonnar Falconer, observer, †
AC1 Voules, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Sasbach: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1940 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L9329
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Meetz - Metz
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz Airport on a reconnaissance mission over the Ruhr. En route, it crashed in unknown circumstances near Sasbach, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
P/O J. L. G. Butterworth, pilot,
Sgt Maurice George Arthur Pearce, observer,
AC2 Robert Arthur Wood, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:
It is believed that the airplane was shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Donna Nook: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1444
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Metz - North Coates
MSN:
8727
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While on a reconnaissance mission over Germany, the airplane was attacked by enemy fire. The pilot was able to evacuate the are, crossed the North Sea and was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed at RAF Donna Nook. A crew member was killed and two others were unhurt.
Crew:
P/O J. A. E. Monette, pilot,
Sgt John Abraham Humphries Potter, observer, †
LAC A. N. Whitehall, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Attacked by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bloch MB.131 in Broville: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz-Frescaty AFB on a night mission. En route, the aircraft caught fire for unknown reasons. The crew bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that entered a dive and crashed in a field located in Broville, bursting into flames. Three crew members were injured and a fourth was killed because his parachute burnt.
Crew:
Adj Georges Emile Marie Joseph Lemoine, pilot,
Adj/C Pierre Charles Marie, commander, †
Sgt Pierre Rigollier, radio operator,
Sgt Blanchard, gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire for unknown reasons.

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

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1940 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1410
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
MSN:
8693
YOM:
1939
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. While cruising at an altitude of 7,000 metres, the airplane was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The pilot was able to evacuate the area and to fly to Belgium. Eventually, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing. At low height, the air gunner bailed out but the altitude was insufficient and he was killed. The airplane then collided with a power line and crashed in a meadows. The two crewmen who remained on board were seriously injured.
Crew:
F/O Charles Mervyn Patrick Kempster, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Leece Smith, navigator,
AC1 Peter Bothamley Harris, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Attacked by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near Wuppertal

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1939 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1325
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
MSN:
8608
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz at 1145LT on a reconnaissance mission over the Siegfried Line. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. The crew was able to make an emergency landing in a field and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O H. R. Bewlay,
Sgt S. McIntyre,
AC1 T. P. Adderley.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Sankt Johann: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1145
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
MSN:
8428
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz at 1030LT on a reconnaissance mission over the Siegfried Line. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
P/O Alexander Donald Morton, pilot,
Sgt Geoffrey Storr, pilot,
AC1 Frederick Albert Twinning, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Quakenbrück: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1939 at 1250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1415
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
MSN:
8698
YOM:
1939
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. En route, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
F/O Dennis Frederick Elliot, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Burton Crew, observer,
AC1 John Arthur Garrick, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Klüsserath: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6694
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. It was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Klüsserath, killing all three crewmen.
Crew:
F/Lt Alan Arthur Dilnot, pilot,
Sgt Ewart Harrison Crellin, observer,
AC1 John Stanley Burrows, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Idar-Oberstein

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1138
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Metz - Metz
MSN:
8421
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Metz on a reconnaissance mission over Hanover. En route, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and entered a dive. A crewman was able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in an openfield. Both other crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Harry Melville Arbuthnot, pilot,
Sgt Eric Bernard Hillier, observer, †
AC2 Frederick George Moller, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.