Date & Time:
Apr 16, 1943 at 2303 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7873
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
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 Graveley at 2116LT on an operation to Plzeň. Outbound at 16,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Liesse-Notre-Dame. Four crew members were killed, two evaded and one the pilot became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt William Robert Owen, pilot,
F/Sgt William George Allen, flight engineer,
P/O George Cruickshank, navigator, †
F/Sgt John Reid Martyn, navigator, †
F/Sgt Donald Ronald Bradley, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Cyril Bourne, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph William Young, air gunner. †
Crew:
F/Lt William Robert Owen, pilot,
F/Sgt William George Allen, flight engineer,
P/O George Cruickshank, navigator, †
F/Sgt John Reid Martyn, navigator, †
F/Sgt Donald Ronald Bradley, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Cyril Bourne, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph William Young, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
