Zone
Finistère

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in Ploudalmézeau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943 at 1745 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
AE726
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Portreath - Portreath
MSN:
4069
YOM:
1942
Location:
Ploudalmézeau
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1642LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Ploudalmézeau, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Harold Edwin Blundell, pilot,
W/O Thomas Coke Du Bose, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Albert Norman, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Ether Price, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Ploudalmézeau: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE225
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Location:
Ploudalmézeau
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham on an operation to Brest. After passing the French coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Ploudalmézeau, some 20 km northwest of Brest. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Peter Gordon Anderson, pilot, †
Sgt Albert Bertram Cooper, wireless operator, †
Sgt Donald Parkin, wireless operator, †
F/Lt Robert Benjamin Barr,
Sgt James Ernest Wiggall.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I near Ploudalmézeau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
W6493
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
MSN:
9498
YOM:
1940
Location:
Ploudalmézeau
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval at 1640LT to attack the cruise ship named 'Admiral Hipper'. It was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed near Ploudalmézeau. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Ronald William Gair, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Ronald Holmes Webster, radio operator,
Sgt Arthur William Richard Beeden, radio operator,
Sgt William Noel Abbott, radio operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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