Date & Time:
Feb 28, 1943 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
R9349
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Country:
France
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 Ridgewell at 1807LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. After passing over Rennes, while returning home, it was shot down by the German Flak, exploded in midair and crashed in La Reboudinière, some 7,5 km southwest of Saint-James. Five crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Vernon Enright Spain, pilot, †
Sgt John McGhie, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert George Frederick Bryant, navigator, †
F/O Edward Lear, navigator, †
Sgt Ronald Vivian Steven Rooke, wireless operator, †
Sgt Leonard Joseph Humphrey, air gunner, †
Sgt John Henry Jackson, air gunner.
Crew:
P/O Vernon Enright Spain, pilot, †
Sgt John McGhie, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert George Frederick Bryant, navigator, †
F/O Edward Lear, navigator, †
Sgt Ronald Vivian Steven Rooke, wireless operator, †
Sgt Leonard Joseph Humphrey, air gunner, †
Sgt John Henry Jackson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
