Date & Time:
Apr 15, 1943 at 0148 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF462
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Country:
France
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 RAF Ridgewell at 2148LT on April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Soudé, 24 km south of Châlons-en-Champagne. Six crew members were killed and the pilot became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ross John Beldin, pilot,
Sgt Harry Noar, flight engineer, †
Sgt Robert John Palmer, navigator, †
Sgt Edwin Arthur Shaw, navigator, †
W/O Richard Barnett Blake, wireless operator, †
Sgt Stanley Francis Gould, air gunner, †
Sgt Samuel Hammond, air gunner. †
Crew:
P/O Ross John Beldin, pilot,
Sgt Harry Noar, flight engineer, †
Sgt Robert John Palmer, navigator, †
Sgt Edwin Arthur Shaw, navigator, †
W/O Richard Barnett Blake, wireless operator, †
Sgt Stanley Francis Gould, air gunner, †
Sgt Samuel Hammond, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
