Date & Time:
Aug 1, 1942 at 0253 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7718
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
2
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 0034LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Heppeneert. The crew bailed out but one was killed after his parachute failed to open. A second was seriously injured and died two days later. Four crew members became PoW and another evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Edward West, pilot,
P/O William Robb Bandeen, observer,
P/O Laurent Joseph Onesime Nadeau, wireless operator, †
Sgt Ivor Watters, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph Hilliard Gregg Howard, air gunner,
Sgt W. D. Gibbon,
Sgt R. E. Pearce.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Edward West, pilot,
P/O William Robb Bandeen, observer,
P/O Laurent Joseph Onesime Nadeau, wireless operator, †
Sgt Ivor Watters, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph Hilliard Gregg Howard, air gunner,
Sgt W. D. Gibbon,
Sgt R. E. Pearce.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
