Date & Time:
May 13, 1943 at 0037 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK721
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newmarket at 0037LT on an operation to Duisburg. After takeoff, the starboard inner engine failed, causing the bomber to clip the Devil's Dyke before crashing northwest of the airbase. Six crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt E. R. M. Appleton, pilot,
Sgt Robert Frederick Harvey, pilot, †
Sgt James Samuel Andrews, flight engineer, †
F/O John Johnston, navigator, †
F/O Selwyn James Clubb, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt S. G. Cocks, wireless operator,
Sgt Bernard Arthur Riley Moore, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph Wykes, air gunner. †
Crew:
F/Lt E. R. M. Appleton, pilot,
Sgt Robert Frederick Harvey, pilot, †
Sgt James Samuel Andrews, flight engineer, †
F/O John Johnston, navigator, †
F/O Selwyn James Clubb, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt S. G. Cocks, wireless operator,
Sgt Bernard Arthur Riley Moore, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph Wykes, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Failure of the starboard inner engine after takeoff.
