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Date: | Monday 6 January 1941 |
Time: | |
Type: | Bristol Blenheim Mk I |
Owner/operator: | 211 Sqn RAF |
Registration: | L1487 |
MSN: | |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | sea near Valone. -
Albania
|
Phase: | Combat |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF Menidi (Tatoi) aerodrome |
Destination airport: | |
Narrative:Blenheim L1487: Took off at 08:10 hrs for Bombing mission over Valone. 06/01/1941
Nine aircraft took off from Menidi on the morning of 6 January 1941 to bomb the Valona foreshore from 4,000ft. The bombing was good, but the formation was met with intense accurate AA. Intercepted by six RA Fiat G50bis fighters they sought refuge in the cloud cover. Two aircraft failed to return: L1487 and L8536.
Blenheim L1487 last seen in cloud near Valona, their aircraft had been hit in the starboard engine by fighter gunfire. With that engine dead and the port engine also losing power, Campbell was forced to ditch “Maestro” in the sea, South of the port area. The three were able to get onto the wing of the floating aircraft but the dinghy failed to inflate. Campbell’s leg was broken, his crew both injured. Beharrel was rescued by an Italian destroyer, while Campbell and Appleyard were able to swim ashore.
All three were ultimately made captive and held in various PoW camps in Italy,
Crew:
F/O (41373) Robert Douglas "Bobby" CAMPBELL (pilot) RAF: injured PoW.
Sgt (751077) John H. BEHARREL (obs) RAF: PoW
Sgt (613211) Raymond “Apple” APPLEYARD (Wop/AG) RAF: PoW.
Sources:
1.Air Britain RAF Aircraft L1000 - N99999
2.Blenheim production list
3.ORB 211 Sqdn RAF
4.http://www.211squadron.org.
5.CWGC
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
28-Feb-2008 23:18 |
JINX |
Added |
24-Jun-2008 00:54 |
JINX |
Updated |
03-Aug-2009 20:59 |
Anon. |
Updated |
21-Jan-2012 08:00 |
Nepa |
Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
06-Jul-2013 05:40 |
JINX |
Updated [Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
15-Dec-2014 20:02 |
Polish |
Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative] |
26-Sep-2018 10:40 |
Nepa |
Updated [Operator, Operator] |