ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 139318
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| Date: | Tuesday 26 August 1941 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 105 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | Z7682 |
| MSN: | GB-N |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Mediterranean Sea NW off Tunisia coast. -
 Tunisia
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Luqa, Malta |
| Confidence Rating: |  Little or no information is available |
Blenheim Z7682/N: Took off at 11:30 hrs for last mission. 26/08/1941
They took off accompanied by another Blenheim of 105 Sqdn pilote by Sgt 'Bill' Brandwood. The first of their targets - an enemy ship off Tunisia - hove into view at about 12:40 hrs. It was quickly apparent the ship had already received sufficient damage from an encounter with the Royal Navy, so the two Blenheims proceeded to a point east of the Kerkenna Islands, where another enemy ship had been reported:
'It was at 13:00 hrs, with a bright sun high in the sky, as the leader, Sgt. Scott, dropped right down on the deck, just skimming the wavetops for a run at the ship. This ship had not suffered the fate of the first and was well afloat with small boats proceeding away from it to the north-west, heading for the coast. One of the dhows was tied up alongside the ship as Sgt.Scott approached for a quarter attack. Sgt.Brandwood held off in a parallel course as this time the run-in was a bombing run, and in this way the aircraft would avoid running into the leader's 11-second delayed bomb fuses. No sign of anti-aircraft fire was evident and no tell-tale blips on the water's surface from small-arms fire could be seen. Closer and closer the Blenheim roared in towards the target. The ship's superstructure grew in relation to the aircraft as it closed in, the masts looming upwards like great endless pillars into the blue sky above. The Blenheim would have been well trimmed out as it pulled up on discharging its bombs into the side quarters of the ship; however, having gained some height, the aircraft mysteriously levelled out and Z7682:N ran headlong into the mast, damaging the superstructure as it exploded, before the remains were hurled into the water beyond.
Crew:
Sgt (909151) Stuart George BASTIN (WOp/AG) RAFVR: killed
Sgt (978873) Walter Brendan HEALY (Obs.) RAFVR: killed
Sgt (904184) Ronald John SCOTT (pilot) RAFVR: killed
Sergeants Scott and Healy are commemorated on the Malta Memorial to the Missing at Floriana, Malta, while Sergeant Bastin's memory is perpetuated on the Air Force Panels of the Alamein Memorial.
In addition he is commemorated on a family grave at Radlett, Hertfordshire, England. (Source 6.)
Sources:
1.Blenheim production list
2.ORB 105 Sqdn RAF
3.AIR81/8581
4.CWGC
5.https://www.spink.com/lot/17003000599
8. https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/76736
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Oct-2011 06:38 | RobertMB | Added |
| 19-Oct-2011 06:41 | RobertMB | Updated [Date] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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