Date & Time: Apr 9, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
L2167
Flight Phase:
Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Invergordon - Invergordon
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The float plane was performing a reconnaissance mission from RAF Invergordon to Fornebu (Oslo region). While flying away from Fornebu, the airplane was attacked by the pilot of a German Air Force Messerschmitt Me.110. The pilot lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a dense wooded area. At a height of 3,000 feet, a crew member was able to bail out without any parachute. On the crash site, rescue teams found the dead bodies of nine crew while the jumper, a young sergeant, was injured. It appears his chute was absorbed by deep snow on the ground.
Crew (210th Squadron):
F/L Peter W. H. Kite, †
P/O Arthur F. LeMaistre, †
Sgt Jack C. Carpenter, †
Sgt Ogwyn F. George,
Sgt James A. L. Barter, †
LAC Frederic A. Morrison, †
LAC Douglas W. B. Upham, †
AC1 Graham H. Maile, †
AC1 Robert L. Millar, †
AC2 George Eveson. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.