Date & Time:
Jan 23, 1943 at 0310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
HX785
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Gambut - Gambut
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Gambut, Libya, in the evening of January 22, to lay mines off the Greek coast. Approaching Petalioi Islands at night, it was shot down by enemy fire (Flak). The pilot ditched the airplane east of Stouronisi Island. All seven occupants survived but only one was able to swim to shore and became PoW. Two dead bodies were later found and four others crew were lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Lt J. M. de Villiers,
W/O Douglas Charles Bell, †
F/Lt James Geddes Johnston, †
Sgt Dudley St John Lidiard, †
Sgt William Frederick O'Beirne, †
F/O Leonard Arthur West, †
F/Sgt Robert Wrigglesworth, air gunner. †
Crew:
F/Lt J. M. de Villiers,
W/O Douglas Charles Bell, †
F/Lt James Geddes Johnston, †
Sgt Dudley St John Lidiard, †
Sgt William Frederick O'Beirne, †
F/O Leonard Arthur West, †
F/Sgt Robert Wrigglesworth, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
