ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 166790
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| Date: | Wednesday 24 July 1940 |
| Time: | 12:50 |
| Type: |  Fairey Battle Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 12 OTU RAF |
| Registration: | L5482 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near North Stoke, south of Wallingford, Oxfordshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Benson, Oxfordshire |
Fairey Battle L5482 of 12 OTU, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 24-07-1940 when struck high tension cables and crashed four miles from airfield, near North Stoke, South of Wallingford, Oxfordshire. All three crew killed:
Midshipman (Air) Charles George Moritmer (Royal Navy) (pilot) RN/64777
Sgt. Eric Purdy Wood, RAFVR (Observer)(service number 755876)
Sgt. Maurice Vivian Everitt, RAFVR (Wirless Op/Air Gunner) (Service Number 654354)
An eyewitness reported in 2014:
"As a child in WW2, a Fairey Battle with three on board (which I believe came from Benson) was flying at low level to the north of the village. I saw it fly UNDER the high voltage power lines, striking the wires with the fin. It reversed direction, heading back along the North Stoke to South Stoke road. It struck the ground just to the south of this road. opposite our house. One wing detached and finished up on the roof, partially demolishing the chimney. One crew member lay dead on the front lawn (north side of the road) and the other two members were dead in the wreckage, south of the road. When later asked what might have caused the accident, the local police constable told us, 'A German spy had got into Benson Airfield and adjusted the altimeters...' "
Sources:
1. http://aircrewremembered.com/mortimer-charges-george.html
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2407334/wood,-eric-purdy/
3. http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1940-07JUL.htm
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2421355/everitt,-maurice-vivian/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Jun-2014 15:21 | harro | Added |
| 28-Sep-2018 00:44 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Registration, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Oct-2018 13:38 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 28-Oct-2020 15:36 | T.T.Taylor | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Narrative, Operator] |
| 30-Sep-2021 13:10 | Rob Davis | Updated [Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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