ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 213641
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| Date: | Saturday 5 April 1941 |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 50 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | AD753 |
| MSN: | VN-M |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Celtic Sea, off Ile d’Ouessant (Ushant), Brittany -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Lindholme, North Yorkshire |
| RAF Lindholme |
5 April 1941-
Battleships at BREST
Hampden AD753 went missing on a bombing mission to BREST to attack enemy shipping in the harbour. Took off from RAF Lindholme, North Yorkshire at 12:05. Aircraft AD753 was No.2 of the leading formation of three, followed by a second three-ship formation. Weather was particularly bad with 10/10ths cloud up to 8,000 feet and down to 500 feet, with driving rain. Formation keeping was nigh impossible with some aircraft descending to 500 feet and others climbing to above 8,000 feet.
Five of the formation either witnessed this aircraft, AD753 dive vertically out of control from around 500 feet into the sea, narrowly missing a collision with Hampden AD824 and explode and burn, or saw the flaming wreckage on the sea. Believed it may have crashed in the sea near Ile d’Ouessant, now known increasingly as Ushant, an island off Brittany that marks the Southernmost point of the Celtic Sea at approximate coordinates: 48°27′29″N 5°05′44″W
The report from AD728 stated “After leaving the Scillies, the cloud lowered and heavy continuous rain was encountered. Several attempts were made to get through this cloud layer, but the leader finally considered that it would break the formation and was eventually forced down to 500 feet in blinding rain. Shortly afterwards, No.2 aircraft was seen to be behind. A few minutes later it was seen to be out of control and dive vertically into the sea.”
None of the formation appeared to have an accurate idea of their location at the time of the crash; it is therefore, based on AD728’s report, quite possible that a French website claim for the aircraft crashing in the vicinity of USHANT are accurate. From the evidence it is probable that the pilot became disorientated and lost control; at such a low height recovery would have been impossible in a fully laden Hampden. Weather was so poor that two aircraft turned back after 30 minutes flying, two more persevered but returned whilst probably close to their target and the fifth bombed through cloud on an Estimated target Area. The remaining five Hampdens returned safely
Crew:-
Pilot : Pilot Officer Hugh Murtagh Macrossan RAF 43288 [Killed] (Commission Gazetted : Tuesday 14 May, 1940)
Observer : Sergeant Ronald Frank Cheesman RAFVR 742195 [Killed]
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Sergeant Frederick Richard Worthington RAF 654174 [Killed]
Rear Gunner : Sergeant John Henry Matthews RAF 810051 [Killed]
All posted as missing, presumed killed in action. Their bodies have never been recovered; their names are all recorded on the memorial at Runnymede
Sources:
1. http://www.no-50-and-no-61-squadrons-association.co.uk/app/download/5802508903/50+SQUADRON+ORB+1939+1943+Revision+1.pdf
2. 50 Squadron ORB (Air Ministry Form 540): http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2503123
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1532109/worthington,-frederick-richard/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1076570/matthews,-john-henry/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1079769/macrossan,-hugh-murtagh/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1084341/cheesman,-ronald-frank/
7. https://www.worldnavalships.com/directory/airframeprofile.php?FrameID=25408
8. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/hampden/25660-AD7531941-04-04.html
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushant
10. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 26 July 1940 | L4139 | 50 Sqn RAF | 0 | RAF Finningley, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire |  |
sub |
| 6 November 1940 | X2907 | 50 Sqn RAF | 4 | Ageler Es, Agelo, Overijssel |  |
w/o |
| 30 June 1941 | X3133 | 50 Sqn RAF | 4 | near Haseldorf, Schleswig-Holstein |  |
w/o |
| 22 February 1942 | AE394 | 50 Sqn RAF | 3 | Haleys Terrace York | |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 25-Jul-2018 22:20 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 12-Nov-2018 20:24 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator] |
| 01-May-2023 13:53 | Rob Davis | Updated [[Operator, Destination airport, Operator]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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