Date:	Saturday 6 April 1940
Time:	04:05
Type:	Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Owner/operator:	21 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L8740
MSN:	YH-Q
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Merton Hall, Merton, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Watton, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Blenheim L8740/Q: Took off at 04.00 hrs on an anti submarine patrol. 06/04/1940
Crashed into trees at 04:05 hrs close to Merton Hall, five minutes after take off.
Crew (all killed)
P/O (40438) Ian STAPLEDON (pilot) RAF ; killed
Sgt (580533) Walter Jonathan WETTON (Obs.) RAF : killed
LAC (524840) John Brayfield BALL (WOp/AG) RAF : killed

1. "Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, vol 1: Aircraft and Crew lost during 1939-1940", by W R Chorley. ISBN 0-904597-85-7
2. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 59)
3. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/112: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14141947
4. http://www.merton.ukgo.com/WW2.htm
5. http://www.breckland-rollofhonour.org.uk/watton_mary.html
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merton,_Norfolk
7. http://www.maplandia.com/united-kingdom/england/east-anglia/norfolk-county/merton/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2764549/stapledon,-ian/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2417766/wetton,-walter-jonathan/
10. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2764527/ball,-john-brayfield/
11. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/21_squadron.html

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

9 July 1940

R3876

21 Sqn RAF

3

Missing - North Sea

mis

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Jan-2018 17:56	Laurent Rizzotti	Added
26-Sep-2018 09:50	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Narrative, Operator]
07-Jun-2019 16:26	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
08-Jun-2019 09:44	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]
03-Nov-2022 15:55	Anon.	Updated [Narrative]