ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 201172
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| Date: | Saturday 7 March 1942 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 50 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | AE400 |
| MSN: | VN-R |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Aircraft missing |
| Location: | Missing - Bay of Biscay -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire |
8 March-1942
GARDENING: ARTICHOKE AREA
Eight aircraft took off in the early hours on the 8th March 1942 for a "gardening" (mine dropping) mission to French coastal waters. Seven aircraft returned safely to Base. Hampden AE400 failed to return, nothing further having been heard from this crew after departing Base. It is believed the aircraft was lost off Lorient. All four crew on board were later confirmed as having been killed.
Crew:-
Pilot: 61280 Flying Officer Allan Godfrey Davidson (aged 27) Runnymede Memorial Panel 66 (NCO:1257378 Commission Gazetted : Friday 21 March, 1941)
WOp/Air Gunner: 1182318 Sgt. William Mervyn Alastair Eardley Runnymede Memorial Panel 82.
2nd Pilot: 1178923 Sgt. Leslie Norman Follows Corncaneau Communal Cemetery Grave 3.
WOp/Air Gunner: 1101049 Sgt. Gordon Shackleton (aged 27) Runnymede Memorial Panel 93.
The body of Sgt.Follows was washed ashore at Cap Finistere on 11 March 1942, but the rest of the crew have never been found. Likely area of loss is the Bay of Biscay. As no night fighter claims have been found for this period, it is suspected the aircraft was hit by flak/AAA. Sgt. Sgt Follows is buried in the Concarneau Communal Cemetery, grave 3, near Quimper, Finistere, France; the other three colleagues are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial
Sources:
1. http://www.no-50-and-no-61-squadrons-association.co.uk/app/download/5802508903/50+SQUADRON+ORB+1939+1943+Revision+1.pdf
2. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/231839/davidson,-allan-godfrey/
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/232698/eardley,-william-mervyn-alastair/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2813916/follows,-leslie-norman/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1806904/shackleton,-gordon/
6. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 26 August 1940 | P2124 | 50 Sqn RAF | 0 | North Sea, 1/4 mile off Scarborough Pier, Scarborough, North Yorkshire |  |
w/o |
| 11 December 1940 | X3117 | 50 Sqn RAF | 4 | Trier (Treves), Eifel District (Rhl.-Pfalz) |  |
w/o |
| 24 July 1941 | AD843 | 50 Sqn RAF | 4 | North Sea, east of Cromer, Norfolk, England | |
w/o |
| 22 January 1942 | AT142 | 50 Sqn RAF | 4 | Exton, 4 miles ENE of Oakham, Rultand | |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Nov-2017 19:39 | Red Dragon | Added |
| 19-Jul-2018 16:04 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Nov-2018 20:46 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Location, Operator] |
| 07-Mar-2024 07:48 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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