Zone

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Morgat: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7472
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Woolfox Lodge at 1845LT on January 31 on an operation to Brest. While returning to base on the following night, the bomber was shot down by the German Flak. A crew member bailed out but his parachute failed to deploy and he was killed. Later, the airplane crash landed in the sea off Morgat and was lost. A second crew member drowned while six others became PoW.
Crew (61st Squadron):
F/Sgt Stephen Joseph MacLean, †
Sgt Geoffrey Herbert Marshall, †
F/Lt Ronald Duncan Fraser,
Sgt Albert William Hadley,
F/Lt William Hugh Hannigan,
Sgt Brian Henderson Mullen,
F/Sgt William Hugh Shorrock,
F/Sgt Thomas William Walsh.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.