ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 225983
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Friday 19 April 1940 |
| Time: | morning |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 107 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P4906 |
| MSN: | OM-J |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Missing - North Sea -
 Norway
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Lossiemouth, Morayshire |
Blenheim P4906/J: Failed to return from air operations over Stavanger in Norway for to support the British Army then fighting in Norway. 19/04/1940.
Crew:
Sgt (741732) Peter CHIVERS (pilot) RAF - killed
Sgt (580583) William Michael MULLALLY (obs.) RAF - killed
AC2 (641163) Henry GREGGANS (WOp/AG) RAF - killed
They were flying in a Blenheim Mark 4 bomber (P 4906) loaded with 4 x 250lb bombs to bomb the large airfield at Sola, near Stavanger in west Norway, a round trip of about 600 miles in daylight. The airfield had recently been occupied by the Luftwaffe and a large force of fighters and bombers had been concentrated. They posed a threat to the British Army that had landed in Norway and to Royal Navy targets in Scotland and the north of England. By the end of the month, 107 Sqdn had lost 10 aircraft on several missions but, although it cannot be proved, it is very likely that Bill and his crew had flown on at least one mission to Stavanger before their final fatal one.
It is difficult to imagine how such young men were given such responsibility but they were not unique in war time. The Blenheim was regarded as a pleasant aircraft to fly although, like many other aircraft of the time, it did have some characteristics which could catch even experienced pilots by surprise.
They never returned home. Whether or not they ever reached their target is not known but somewhere – presumably over the North Sea – they simply disappeared. According to the book "Fledgling Eagles" by Christopher Shores:
"Early next morning" [19 April 1940] "six Blenheims from 107 Squadron again prepared to raid Stavanger. Due to a series of mechanical mishaps only three got off, and two of these returned when the pilots realised that the formation was incomplete.
Sgt Peter Chivers continued alone in P4906, and was intercepted by Fw Lothar Linke of 3/ZG 76, who shot the Blenheim down west of Stavanger. Fw Linke reported that the Blenheim crew put up a good fight. Even with flames pouring from the aircraft when just about to crash into the sea, the pilot pulled up into a climb, opened fire and obtained hits on a second Bf 110 which was flying as Rottenflieger [Wingman] to Linke".
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1979 p 26)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/155: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14141934
3. "Fledgling Eagles" by Christopher Shores
4. https://rafyatesbury.webs.com/articles3.htm
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1084390/chivers,-peter/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1077376/mullally,-william-michael/
7. http://stmhs.proboards.com/post/477
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 17 April 1940 | N6185 | 107 Sqn RAF | 3 | Missing - North Sea | |
w/o |
| 2 June 1940 | P4919 | 107 Sqn RAF | 0 | RAF Wattisham, Suffolk, England |  |
w/o |
| 7 August 1941 | R3816 | 107 Sqn RAF | 2 | RAF Manston, Ramsgate, Kent, England | |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jun-2019 23:01 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 09-Jun-2019 23:01 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 11-Jun-2019 05:28 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 30-Dec-2020 21:16 | Glog | Updated [Location, Narrative, Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation