Date & Time:
Jul 2, 1943 at 1637 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
EF394
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
During the course of a fighter affiliation exercise, involving a Beaufighter, the bomber collided in the air with another Sterling registered BK724 that was carrying a crew of 10. Following the collision, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed in Stansfield, 14 km northwest of Sudbury. A crew survived while eight others were killed. Among the crew of the second Stirling, seven were killed and three were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Wilfred Martin Coopey, pilot, †
Sgt Richard William Hewitt, flight engineer, †
Sgt Douglas Menzies Thomson, observer, †
A2c Thomas Alexander McLoughlin, †
Sgt Roderick Henry Richards, bomb aimer, †
Lac Hugh Rooney, †
Sgt J. Hargreaves,
F/Sgt Robert Elmer Atkinson, air gunner, †
Sgt Robert George Lancelot, air gunner. †
Crew:
Sgt Wilfred Martin Coopey, pilot, †
Sgt Richard William Hewitt, flight engineer, †
Sgt Douglas Menzies Thomson, observer, †
A2c Thomas Alexander McLoughlin, †
Sgt Roderick Henry Richards, bomb aimer, †
Lac Hugh Rooney, †
Sgt J. Hargreaves,
F/Sgt Robert Elmer Atkinson, air gunner, †
Sgt Robert George Lancelot, air gunner. †
