Date & Time:
Jun 2, 1943 at 2248 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.25 Sunderland
Operator:
Registration:
EJ134
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Pembroke Dock - Pembroke Dock
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a maritime patrol flight over the Biscay Bay on a SAR mission following the recent crash of a BOAC DC-3. En route, the seaplane was attacked by eight German Junkers JU.88. Despite the situation and damages, the pilot was able to leave the combat zone and flew back to the UK. While approaching the coast of Cornwall, the captain decided to ditch the airplane few hundred yards off Praa Sands. A flight engineer was killed while all 10 other occupants escaped unhurt. The aircraft was later wrecked by tides and waves.
Crew (461th Squadron):
F/Lt Colin Braidwood Walker, pilot,
P/O Wilbur James Dowling, copilot,
P/O James Collier Amiss, copilot,
Sgt Edward Charles Ernest Miles, flight engineer, †
Sgt Phillip Kelvin Turner, flight engineer,
Sgt Louis Stanley Watson, mechanic,
P/O Kenneth Macdonald Simpson, navigator,
F/Sgt Alfred Eric Fuller, air gunner,
F/Sgt Sydney Frederick Miller, air gunner,
Sgt Albert Lane, air gunner,
F/Sgt Ray Marston Goode, air gunner.
Crew (461th Squadron):
F/Lt Colin Braidwood Walker, pilot,
P/O Wilbur James Dowling, copilot,
P/O James Collier Amiss, copilot,
Sgt Edward Charles Ernest Miles, flight engineer, †
Sgt Phillip Kelvin Turner, flight engineer,
Sgt Louis Stanley Watson, mechanic,
P/O Kenneth Macdonald Simpson, navigator,
F/Sgt Alfred Eric Fuller, air gunner,
F/Sgt Sydney Frederick Miller, air gunner,
Sgt Albert Lane, air gunner,
F/Sgt Ray Marston Goode, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by German fighters.
