Date & Time:
Apr 17, 1943 at 0436 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR784
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2042LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eppeville. Six crew members were killed and the navigator survived and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ronald Henry Stewart, pilot, †
P/O William Robert McBriar, flight engineer, †
W/O William Reid Keirnan, navigator,
F/Sgt Dennis Axtell, wireless operator, †
F/O Thomas Collis Robinson, wireless operator, †
Sgt Donald Harold Reid, air gunner, †
P/O Frank Malcolm Thompson, air gunner. †
Crew:
P/O Ronald Henry Stewart, pilot, †
P/O William Robert McBriar, flight engineer, †
W/O William Reid Keirnan, navigator,
F/Sgt Dennis Axtell, wireless operator, †
F/O Thomas Collis Robinson, wireless operator, †
Sgt Donald Harold Reid, air gunner, †
P/O Frank Malcolm Thompson, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
