Date & Time:
Apr 17, 1943 at 0014 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF514
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 2200LT on April 16 on an operation to Mannheim. Shortly after midnight, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Raucourt-et-Flaba. Five crew members were killed and two others evaded.
Crew:
P/O David Frederick Howlett, pilot, †
Sgt Leonard W. Canning, flight engineer,
F/O Kenneth Sidney Bird, navigator, †
F/Sgt David Eric Roberts, navigator, †
Sgt W. Hamilton, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Joseph Knight, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Emmett Jay Longstaff, air gunner. †
Crew:
P/O David Frederick Howlett, pilot, †
Sgt Leonard W. Canning, flight engineer,
F/O Kenneth Sidney Bird, navigator, †
F/Sgt David Eric Roberts, navigator, †
Sgt W. Hamilton, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Joseph Knight, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Emmett Jay Longstaff, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
