Date & Time:
Dec 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF379
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1704LT on an operation to Torino. Over the target area, at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the airplane was hit by the German Flak, setting fire to the outer starboard engine. The crew managed to get clear of the are but was unable to gain height in order to cross the Alps. Heading south, the captain ordered his crew to bail out after which the airplane crashed in Fossano. The pilot was killed and all other crew members parachuted to safety. Six became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
F/Lt William Templeton Christie, pilot, †
F/Sgt Oswald Falkingham,
Sgt William Reginald Jagger,
F/Sgt James Gerrard Jeffrey,
F/Sgt Ian MacDonald,
S/L Vincent Cronkitie McAuley,
Sgt Ronald Whyte McGraw,
Sgt F. K. Nightingale.
Crew:
F/Lt William Templeton Christie, pilot, †
F/Sgt Oswald Falkingham,
Sgt William Reginald Jagger,
F/Sgt James Gerrard Jeffrey,
F/Sgt Ian MacDonald,
S/L Vincent Cronkitie McAuley,
Sgt Ronald Whyte McGraw,
Sgt F. K. Nightingale.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
