Date:	Tuesday 12 December 1939
Time:	day
Type:	Supermarine Walrus Mk I
Owner/operator:	754 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	K8556
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	340 Bitterne Road, Southampton, Hampshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Training
Departure airport:	HMS Daedulus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Lt Richard Heriot Mackay Heriot-Hill, Plt Off Michael Fortnum (RAF), Leading Airman Michael McLoughlin and Air Mechanic Louis Moorhead were killed when their Walrus I K8556 of 754 Sqn FAA struck a balloon cable during a practice flight near Southampton in the afternoon and crashed, apparently on 340 Bitterne Road, at the junction of Lances Hill and Little Lances Hill, Southampton. According to a contemporary newspaper report ("Western Daily Press" - Wednesday 13 December 1939):

'PLANE COLLIDES WITH BARRAGE CABLE.

A 'plane belonging to the Fleet Air Arm hit a balloon barrage cable near Southampton yesterday and crashed, the crew of four being killed. This was announced in a communique issued by the Admiralty last night. The communique was as follows: "The Secretary of the Admiralty regrets to announce that a Fleet Air Arm aircraft collided with a balloon barrage cable near Southampton this afternoon and crashed. The crew of four lost their lives and their next of kin have been informed."

The following newspaper report ("Evening News", London Thursday 14 December 1939) names the four crew:

THE FOUR VICTIMS WHEN ’PLANE CRASHED INTO BALLOON BARRAGE.

The names of the four airmen who lost their lives when a Fleet Air Arm ’plane crashed into a barrage balloon cable near Southampton on Tuesday were disclosed to-day when the inquest was opened at Southampton. They are:

Richard Herriot Mackay Herriot-Hill (24), Lieut, R.N., of Spring Gardens. London, S.W.
Michael Fortnum (19), R.A.F. officer, Grove Road, East Molesey, Surrey
Michael M’Loughlin (25), Leading Airman, Mersea Road, Colchester, Essex
Louis Moorhead (19), air mechanic, Malton Street, East Hartlepool, Durham.

After evidence of identification the inquest was adjourned until next Thursday."

1. Hampshire Advertiser - Saturday 16 December 1939
2. Glasgow Herald, 12 December 1939 : https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Dys1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=0KULAAAAIBAJ&pg=6035,3688456&dq=crashed&hl=en
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File ADM 1/10688: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4794421
4. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?p=95484
5. http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/hancrash.html
6. https://www.google.fr/maps/search/340+Bitterne+Road+Southampton/data=!4m2!2m1!4b1?hl=fr&dg=dbrw&newdg=1
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2438495/heriot-hill,-richard-heriot-mackay/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2438432/fortnum,-michael/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2438597/mcloughlin,-michael/
10. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2838248/moorhead,-louis/
11. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=7953.0

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Dec-2017 12:51	Laurent Rizzotti	Added
29-Apr-2018 15:41	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
29-Apr-2018 15:45	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
29-Apr-2018 15:47	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
03-Dec-2018 20:50	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
27-Jul-2020 23:18	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source]