ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 15846
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| Date: | Friday 29 September 1939 |
| Time: | 10:03 |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 144 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L4134 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Sea, Between Helgoland & Wangerooge, Frisian Islands, Lower Saxony -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire |
| RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Airborne 06:40 on mission to bomb German ships moored at Heligoland, as leader of Raid EH3. Eleven Hampdens were sent in two formations: the first six attacked two destroyers, but missed the target, the second wave of five Hampdens were intercepted by Bf. 109s that were now over the target and were waiting and ready. All five Hampdens in the second wave were shot down. Of the 20 crew in five aircraft (four per aircraft) 16 were killed, and 4 were captured and taken as PoWs
L4134 was shot down in flames by Bf.109 flown by Uffz Pirsch of 1./ZG26
Crew:
Wing Commander James Charles Cunningham (pilot) RAF (Officer Commanding 144 Squadron, aged 31, Service Number 16219) - killed.
Sgt. Ronald Ernest Herd (pilot, aged 25, Service Number 564710) RAF - killed.
Sgt. Charles George Williams (observer, aged 19, Service Number 580687) RAF killed. Note: Also reported as crew in L4132 same date.
AC.1 H. Liggett (Wireless Op/Air Gunner) RAF - captured, taken as PoW.
AC1 Liggett made numerous escapes before being repatriated in September 1944: He was interned in Camps 21B, L3, and L6. He took part in an abortive tunnel escape from L6 on 29 August 1943 and was later awarded the Military Medal. [Gazetted as such 9 February 1945].
Sources:
1. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/17: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14141996
2. Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Vol.1. W.R Chorley
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/231651/cunningham,-james-charles/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2073813/herd,-ronald-ernest/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2074250/williams,-charles-george/
6. http://www.626-squadron.co.uk/willem4.htm .
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Mar-2008 01:07 | JINX | Added |
| 22-Jun-2008 15:53 | JINX | Updated |
| 17-Aug-2011 05:18 | Uli Elch | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 01-Jun-2013 16:47 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 07-Jul-2013 16:51 | JINX | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 27-Nov-2014 15:52 | HB | Updated [Operator, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Nov-2015 06:55 | JINX | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Destination airport, Source] |
| 07-Jan-2016 21:23 | JIXN | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 27-Apr-2018 18:17 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-Apr-2018 18:17 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 25-Jun-2018 18:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Jun-2019 20:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 15-Jun-2019 20:27 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Source] |
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