Date & Time:
Feb 26, 1943 at 0044 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF410
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 2039LT on February 25 on an operation to Nuremberg. After passing the French/German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Sandweier. Seven crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Wilfred Roy Major, pilot, †
F/Sgt Francis John Miles, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur Vivian Derrick Hines, flight engineer, †
Sgt George Pettinger, navigator, †
Sgt John Henry Dyer, navigator, †
Sgt William Hughes Bevan, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric Howeth Holmes, air gunner, †
Sgt John Carrick, air gunner.
Crew:
P/O Wilfred Roy Major, pilot, †
F/Sgt Francis John Miles, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur Vivian Derrick Hines, flight engineer, †
Sgt George Pettinger, navigator, †
Sgt John Henry Dyer, navigator, †
Sgt William Hughes Bevan, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric Howeth Holmes, air gunner, †
Sgt John Carrick, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
