Date & Time:
May 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK701
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
4
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 2251LT on May 17 to lay mines off La Rochelle. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and was ditched into the sea off Saint-Jean-de-Monts. It sank so rapidly that only three airmen managed to escape.
Crew:
P/O John Edward Hill, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Smith, flight engineer, †
Sgt Joseph Edward Boyes, navigator, †
Sgt Sidney Biddulph, †
Sgt Jack Archibald Boland,
Sgt Sidney Robert Shankster, air gunner,
Sgt Cecil Claude Daniels Scotney, air gunner. †
Crew:
P/O John Edward Hill, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Smith, flight engineer, †
Sgt Joseph Edward Boyes, navigator, †
Sgt Sidney Biddulph, †
Sgt Jack Archibald Boland,
Sgt Sidney Robert Shankster, air gunner,
Sgt Cecil Claude Daniels Scotney, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
