Date & Time:
May 24, 1943 at 0159 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF482
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2319LT on May 23 on an operation to Dortmund. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the city. Four crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O William Quinton Johnson, pilot, †
Sgt Norman Reginald Elford, wireless operator,
Sgt Michael John Flaherty, †
Sgt Sydney Dennis Hirst,
F/O Henry Neelin Lyons, †
Sgt Charles Frank Ryall,
Sgt Henry George Charles Waite, †
Sgt Ralph Oakley Leonard, air gunner,
Crew:
P/O William Quinton Johnson, pilot, †
Sgt Norman Reginald Elford, wireless operator,
Sgt Michael John Flaherty, †
Sgt Sydney Dennis Hirst,
F/O Henry Neelin Lyons, †
Sgt Charles Frank Ryall,
Sgt Henry George Charles Waite, †
Sgt Ralph Oakley Leonard, air gunner,
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
