Date & Time:
Feb 14, 1943 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT788
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1632LT on an operation to Cologne. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Venlo. A crew was killed, one evaded and five became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt J. D. Illingworth, pilot,
Sgt W. C. Ford, flight engineer,
Sgt J. S. King, navigator,
Sgt R. Williamson, bomb aimer,
Sgt L. T. Holdom, wireless operator,
Sgt Harry Kay, air gunner, †
Sgt J. Sankey, air gunner.
Crew:
Sgt J. D. Illingworth, pilot,
Sgt W. C. Ford, flight engineer,
Sgt J. S. King, navigator,
Sgt R. Williamson, bomb aimer,
Sgt L. T. Holdom, wireless operator,
Sgt Harry Kay, air gunner, †
Sgt J. Sankey, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
