ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 228380
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| Date: | Sunday 26 May 1940 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 53 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L8863 |
| MSN: | PZ- |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 20 km SE of Bayenghem-les-Seninghem, Pas de Calais -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Lympne, Lympne, Kent (LYM/EGMK) |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV L8863 (WV-R) 18 Squadron crashed landed at Vitry on 16 May 1940. Aircraft was repaired and issued to 53 Squadron (PZ-)RAF: Written off (destroyed) 26 May 1940 when lost (Failed to return) from a recce sortie from Rouen-Boos. All three crew killed. Probably shot down by Flak/AAA. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/603): "Blenheim L8863 crashed at Seninghem, France, 26 May 1940. Sergeant W J K Evans, Aircraftman 1st Class A A Gillmore and Pilot Officer G M Bailey: report of deaths".
Crew of Blenheim L8863:
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Gerald Montague. Bailey, RAF 42330, age 24, killed in action 26/05/1940
Sergeant (Observer) William John Kelsall Evans, RAF 580951, age 22, killed in action 26/05/1940
Aircraftman 1st Class (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) Alan Arthur Gillmore, RAF 552644, age 19, killed in action 26/05/1940
All three crew fatalities were buried at Bayenghem-les-Seninghem Churchyard, Pas de Calais, France. The reported crash location of Bayenghem-lès-Seninghem is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France, at approximate Coordinates: 50°42′03″N 2°04′39″E.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 60)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/603: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502295
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2278757/bailey,-gerald-montague/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2278758/evans,-william-john-kelsall/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2278759/gillmore,-alan-arthur/
6. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=3014
7. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/53_squadron.html#2605
8. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/raf-losses-may-1940-an-update.16940/page-13#post-199566
9. https://www.ww1cemeteries.com/bayenghem-les-seninghem-churchyard.html
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayenghem-l%C3%A8s-Seninghem
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Aug-2019 19:55 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 21-Aug-2019 09:43 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 18-Dec-2021 16:46 | Anon. | Updated [Cn, Narrative] |
| 11-Nov-2023 13:04 | Anon. | Updated [Total fatalities, Narrative] |
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