ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 226906
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| Date: | Tuesday 14 May 1940 |
| Time: | 16:20 |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 139 (Jamaica) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | N6223 |
| MSN: | XD-F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | woods near Bois La Cassine, 16 km SSW of Sedan, Ardennes. -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Plivot airfield (Fr.) |
Blenheim N6223 (XD-P)*: Destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from combat operations 14/05/1944
Blenheim N6223 was one of four 139 Squadron Blenheims lost on this day in a single hour. One of the three crew was killed, the other two survived, evaded capture, and returned safely to their unit.
According to the official Air Ministry report into the incident (File AIR 81/343): "Blenheim N6223 crashed between Givonne and Bouillon, France, 14 May 1940. Sergeant N E Brady and Sergeant G A Willsher: missing, later reported to be safe. Leading Aircraftman S A Maddox report of death".
The events of 14th May determined both of the A.A.S.F. and of the campaign. The French High Command called for a supreme effort at Sedan, where the ground forces massing for counter-attack had been rudely scattered. Arrangements were accordingly made for the whole strength of the Allied bombers in France to be hurled against the Sedan bridgehead in a series of waves, and soon after noon the few French aircraft available went into action. Attacking bridges and columns of troops, they suffered losses so severe that their remaining operations for the day were cancelled.
Then came the turn of the A.A.S.F. Between 1500 and 16:00 hrs the entire force of 71 available Battles and Blenheims was flung against the same objectives. But the Me.109's absent in the morning, were now on guard. No. 12 Squadron lost four aircraft out of five; No. 105 Squadron, six out of eleven; No. 150 Squadron, four out of four; No. 139 Squadron, four out of six; No. 218 Squadron, ten out of eleven. In all, from the seventy-one bombers which took off, forty did not return. No higher rate of loss in an operation of comparable size has even been experienced by the Royal Air Force
Airborne from Plivot, France. Cause of loss not established, but probably shot down by flak/AAA or/or enemy fighters. Crashed at la Cassine (Ardennes), 16 km SSW of Sedan, France. One of the three crew was killed, the other two survived, evaded capture and returned to their unit
Crew of Blenheim N6223
Sgt (????) N.E. BRADY (pilot) RAF : survived, evaded capture, returned to his unit
Sgt (561400) George Albert WILLSHER (Obs.) RAF survived, evaded capture, returned to his unit
LAC (551172) Stanley Archibald MADDOX (WOp/AG) RAF : killed in action
*Note the official file on this incident (File AIR 81/343) states that the Blenheim involved was N6223 - but several unofficial published sources state that the Blenheim involved was P4827. Both aircraft were lost when with 139 Squadron on a mission to attack Sedan on 14 May 1940.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft N1000-N9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1977)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/343: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502337
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2689688/maddox,-stanley-archibald/
4. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=225
5. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/139_squadron.html
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 12 August 1941 | V5826 | 139 (Jamaica) Sqn RAF | 0 | RAF Horsham St Faith, near Norwich, Norfolk, England |  |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Jul-2019 22:52 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 07-Jul-2019 22:58 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 08-Jul-2019 05:50 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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