Date & Time:
Jul 3, 1942 at 0145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1617
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2300LT on July 2 on an operation to Bremen. Approaching Cloppenburg at an altitude of 12,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Vahren. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Douglas Wilberforce Spooner, pilot,
P/O G. E. Mayer, observer,
Sgt Alvin Leslie Spafford, wireless operator,
Sgt Cultra Vallance Webb, air gunner,
F/Sgt A. Szmaites, air gunner.
Crew:
P/O Douglas Wilberforce Spooner, pilot,
P/O G. E. Mayer, observer,
Sgt Alvin Leslie Spafford, wireless operator,
Sgt Cultra Vallance Webb, air gunner,
F/Sgt A. Szmaites, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
