Portreath AFB

Operator:

Registration:

AE726

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4069

YOM:

1942

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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 Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AE852

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4295

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1649LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). Over the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 30 km off Brest, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Eric James Andrew, pilot,
F/Sgt Gerald Baird McKennie,
F/Sgt Joseph Stanley Laidlaw,
Sgt George Charles Garner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I off RAF Portreath

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

AE839

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4182

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1640LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). Over the target area, it was badly shot about by a combination of German Flak and fighters. The crew was able to return to England but the airplane crashed into the sea while on approach to base. All four crew members were rescued by fishermen within 20 minutes.
Crew:
F/O G. L. Hicks, pilot,
F/Sgt F. J. Bowles,
Sgt Rees,
Sgt F. Taylor.

Probable cause:

Badly shot about by a combination of German Flak and fighters.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AE715

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Schedule:

Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4058

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1641LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). While leaving the area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Brest. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Melvyn Alexander McDonald, pilot,
F/O Lloyd George Girty,
Sgt Robert Clifton Milliken,
F/Sgt Bruce Herbert May.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off RAF Portreath: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943 at 0645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HF673

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow

Schedule:

Portreath - Gibraltar

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath on a flight to Gibraltar, first intermediate stop on a flight to India. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, it caught fire and crashed into the sea 6,4 km west of the airbase. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Amar Chandra De, pilot,
Sgt Roy McKenzie,
F/O Herbert L. Martin,
Sgt George Scott,
Sgt Ernest H. J. Grove.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow II in the Bay of Biscay: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

K7011

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Portreath – Gibraltar

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En route from RAF Portreath to Gibraltar-North Front Airport, while overflying the Bay of Biscay, the aircraft crashed into the sea off the Spanish coast. No trace of the airplane nor the crew was found. Lost without trace.
Crew (271st Squadron):
S/L Godfrey Allison Brown, pilot,
F/Lt Edward Thomson Halley,
P/O Peter Marsh Burton,
F/O Edwin Buckley Bowen,
F/Sgt Richard George Brett,
F/Sgt John Brister,
LAC Philip Cashmore.
Passengers:
Lt Andrew Jervis Hawkins,
Maj Harold John Palmer,
F/O William Milton Henderson,
F/O John Glen McCauley.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim V in Aldeia Nova

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1942 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

BA529

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Portreath - Gibraltar

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Circumstances:

The crew departed RAF Portreath on a transit flight to the Middle East with an intermediate stop in Gibraltar. While cruising over Portugal, one of the engine failed. The crew made an emergency landing near Aldeia Nova. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all three crew members were rescued. They were interned then quickly released.
Crew:
P/O Charles Peter Cranford De Wesselow, pilot,
F/Sgt Ivor James Self, observer,
Sgt Wilfred David Burnham Bunting, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort II in Roscroggan: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1942 at 0855 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

AW288

Flight Phase: