ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 22473
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| Date: | Monday 26 August 1940 |
| Time: | 07:50 |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 50 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P2124 |
| MSN: | VN-R |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | North Sea, 1/4 mile off Scarborough Pier, Scarborough, North Yorkshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Lindholme, North Yorkshire |
| RAF Lindholme, North Yorkshire |
Handley Page Hampden Mk.I P2124 (VN-R) of 50 Sqaudron, RAF Lindholme. Lost on combat operations on the night of 25-26/8/1940. The aircraft took off at 22:01 hours 25/8/1940 and was returning from operations on Berlin when it ditched out of fuel at 07:50 hours on 26/8/1940 into the North Sea 1/4 mile off Scarborough Pier, Scarborough, North Yorkshire. All four crew survived and were rescued.
Crew:-
Pilot : Pilot Officer George Albert Campfield Potts DFC RAF 43943
Observer : Pilot Officer Robert Stanley Hern Hook RAF 41416 (Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 10 October, 1939)
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Sergeant Wood RAF
Rear Gunner : Sergeant Ashmore RAF
According to the 50 Squadron ORB (Air Ministry Form 540):
"August 1940,
Based RAF Lindholme
25/26 August
BERLIN
Five aircraft took off at around 21.50 hours to attack an electricity power station at Berlin. Low cloud hampered an effective mission. All aircraft are thought to have reached their target but two casualties were suffered due to intensive flak defences. One, Hampden P2124 was written-off after ditching (1/4 mile off Scarborough pier) following fuel exhaustion on return from BERLIN.
The crew believed they may have been hit by flak. The aircraft subsequently flew across the North Sea on one engine. A successful ditching was made and all crew escaped safely, the aircraft being very quickly put on tow by a local fishing boat. However the aircraft sank just 200 yards from the shore.Pilot, P/O G.A.C. Potts; Observer P/O R.S. Hook; WOP/AG Sgt. Wood and WOP/AG Sgt. Ashmore.
Only two aircraft managed to find and bomb the primary target"
Sources:
1. As per logbook of Flight Sgt Ashmore.
2. http://www.no-50-and-no-61-squadrons-association.co.uk/app/download/5802508903/50+SQUADRON+ORB+1939+1943+Revision+1.pdf
3. https://www.backtonormandy.org/component/mtree/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/hampden/30586-RAF12848.html
4. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 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 |
| 7 March 1942 | AE400 | 50 Sqn RAF | 4 | Missing - Bay of Biscay |  |
mis |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Aug-2008 01:11 | Anon. | Added |
| 03-Feb-2013 05:16 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 11-Oct-2015 16:13 | Anon. | Updated [Source] |
| 30-Jun-2018 23:09 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Nov-2018 19:07 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 25-Aug-2023 06:47 | Rob Davis | Updated [[Operator, Operator]] |
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