ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 229286
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| Date: | Thursday 13 June 1940 |
| Time: | 16:30 LT |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 21 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | R3676 |
| MSN: | YH-F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | St-Hilliers (Seine-et-Marne), 8 km NW of Provins, -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Bodney, near Watton, Norfolk |
| RAF Bodney, near Watton, Norfolk |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV R3676 (YH-F) 21 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over Northern France. All three killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/876): "Blenheim R3676 crashed at Villars, France, 13 June 1940. Sergeant A Williams, Sergeant J Guest and Pilot Officer L M Blanckensee: report of deaths"
Airborne at 15:05 hours from RAF Bodney, near Watton, Norfolk, briefed to destroy enemy Panzer tank columns in the Forêt de Gaul. This operation followed a message from Winston Churchill to French Premier Reynaud and General Weygand that the RAF would assist then as much as possible with "maximum effort". During the daylight hours of 13th June 1940 all available RAF Blenheims were made available to mount an attack, backed up by the RAF's heavy bombers for a night attack on the night of 13th/14th June 1940.
Weather hampered the 60 available Blenheims sent, and the longer distances to the target area meant it was difficult to provide fighter cover. The raids were concentrated on various targets, from the advancing Panzer tank columns to bridges over the River Seine, to try and delay the rapidly advancing enemy forces.
During 13th June 1940, the RAF lost eleven Fairey Battles, and six Blenheims. Nineteen crew were killed, eight injured, and fifteen captured and made PoWs. 21 Squadron lost Blenheim R3676 when it was shot down by Hauptmann Wilheim Balthasar of 1./JG 1 and crashed at St-Hilliers (Seine-et-Marne), 8 km NW of Provins, with all three crew were killed.
Crew of Blenheim R3676:
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Lewis M. Blanckensee, RAF 41248, killed in action 13/06/1940
Sergeant (Observer) Albert Williams, RAF 580502, age 20, killed in action 13/06/1940
Sergeant (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) Jack Guest, RAF 626540, DFM, age 20, killed in action 13/06/1940,
All three crew fatalities were buried at St. Hilliers Communal Cemetery, Seine-et-Marne, France. AC.1 Jack Guest was awarded the DFM and promoted to Sergeant for his actions on 26 May 1940, having been part of the same crew in Blenheim P6886, which was badly shot about by a Bf 109 after a raid on Dixmunde; on return to RAF Watton, Norfolk, they made a wheels up landing. AC.1 Jack Guest claimed the destruction of a Bf 109
The reported crash location of Saint-Hilliers is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France, 8 km North West of Provins, at approximate Coordinates: 48°37′15″N 3°15′23″E
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft R1000-R9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1980 p 23)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/876: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502522
3. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=231
4. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/21_squadron.html#1306
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2235335/blanckensee,-lewis-mervyn/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2235337/williams,-albert/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2235336/guest,-jack/
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Hilliers
9. https://www.ww2cemeteries.com/st-hilliers-communal-cemetery.html
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 1 November 1940 | L8737 | 21 Sqn RAF | 0 | near RAF Bodney, Norfolk, England |  |
w/o |
| 11 February 1941 | T2282 | 21 Sqn RAF | 0 | Westerschelde estuary off Valkenisse, Zeeland. |  |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Sep-2019 17:35 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 25-Sep-2019 04:13 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
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