Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Oare: 6 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 7, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
Z1597
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall to lay mines off Lorient. While returning to base at night, it descended below the clouds when it impacted trees and crashed in hilly terrain near Oare. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Patrick Louis Murphy, pilot,
F/Sgt Cecil Baker Smith, pilot,
P/O Ivan Thomas Hugh Evans, observer,
F/Sgt John Gordon Holmes, wireless operator,
F/Sgt James McMillan Ferguson, air gunner,
WO Clayton Penrose Lindon Brown, air gunner.
Crew:
F/Sgt Patrick Louis Murphy, pilot,
F/Sgt Cecil Baker Smith, pilot,
P/O Ivan Thomas Hugh Evans, observer,
F/Sgt John Gordon Holmes, wireless operator,
F/Sgt James McMillan Ferguson, air gunner,
WO Clayton Penrose Lindon Brown, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
