Date & Time:
May 18, 1943 at 0048 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
L6055
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 2135LT on May 17 on an operation to the Frisian Islands. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea 15 km northwest of Schiermonnikoog Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Keith Cameron Wathen, pilot,
F/O John Maxwell Crawford, observer,
F/Sgt Ian Murray Sykes, wireless operator,
Sgt Jabez Harold Steward, air gunner.
Crew:
P/O Keith Cameron Wathen, pilot,
F/O John Maxwell Crawford, observer,
F/Sgt Ian Murray Sykes, wireless operator,
Sgt Jabez Harold Steward, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
