Date & Time:
Jul 14, 1943 at 0148 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
EE873
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
West Wickham - West Wickham
Country:
Belgium
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 West Wickham at 2346LT on July 13 on an operation to Aachen. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Elen. Seven crew members were killed and one evaded.
Crew (90 Sq):
F/Lt Cyril Ernest Coombs, pilot, †
P/O Ernest Candy, copilot, †
Sgt John Olav Bradshaw, flight engineer, †
Sgt William Gorden Dawson, bomb aimer, †
F/O Paul Douglas Swallow, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Charles Alexander Long, wireless operator, †
Sgt Raymond Clarke, air gunner,
Sgt Eric Bradley Potter, air gunner. †
Crew (90 Sq):
F/Lt Cyril Ernest Coombs, pilot, †
P/O Ernest Candy, copilot, †
Sgt John Olav Bradshaw, flight engineer, †
Sgt William Gorden Dawson, bomb aimer, †
F/O Paul Douglas Swallow, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Charles Alexander Long, wireless operator, †
Sgt Raymond Clarke, air gunner,
Sgt Eric Bradley Potter, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
