Date & Time:
May 28, 1943 at 0120 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR789
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2314LT on May 27 on an operation to Essen. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Recklinghausen. Five crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Francis John Prothero, pilot,
Sgt Andrew Aitken, flight engineer, †
F/O Alexander Bell Pate Wilson, navigator, †
Sgt John Henry Mastin, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Douglas John Smith, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Frederick Turner, air gunner,
F/Sgt Ernest James Cotton, air gunner. †
Crew:
Sgt Francis John Prothero, pilot,
Sgt Andrew Aitken, flight engineer, †
F/O Alexander Bell Pate Wilson, navigator, †
Sgt John Henry Mastin, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Douglas John Smith, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Frederick Turner, air gunner,
F/Sgt Ernest James Cotton, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
