ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 227185
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 15 May 1940 |
| Time: | 10:40 LT |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 40 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P4913 |
| MSN: | BL-B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Ecaussinnes d'Enghien, Hainaut -
 Belgium
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV P4913 (BL-B) 40 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 15 May 1940 when lost (failed to return) from combat operations. All three crew killed. According to the official Air Ministry file on the incident (File AIR 81/378): "Blenheim P4913 failed to return from an operational flight over Belgium, 15 May 1940. Sergeant C T White, Leading Aircraftman S Johnson and Flying Officer J E Edwards, report of deaths".
On 15 May 1940 Squadron Leader Lance Smith (Hurricane P2870) of 607 Squadron led five Hurricanes of 607 Squadron's B Flight and six Hurricanes of 615 Squadron's A Flight in a escort of a dozen Blenheims (three of 15 Squadron and nine of 40 Squadron), which were to bomb the bridges over the Meuse in the Dinant-Celles area.
Before reaching the target they encountered Bf 110Cs plus Bf 109s from Stab III/JG 53 at 11,000 feet. Three Hurricanes were claimed by III/JG 53 and were credited to Hauptmann Werner Mölders, Oberleutnant Heinz Wittenberg and Leutnant Georg Claus, while two of the Blenheims of 40 Squadron were shot down by Bf109s of 1/JG 3 encountered when north-west of Charleroi.
P4913 and N6217 were the two Blenheims of 40 Squadron that were shot down. P4913 took off from RAF Wyton, Huntingdonshire at 09:30 am. Shot down near Ecaussinnes d'Enghien (Hainaut), 18 km NE of Mons, Belgium, with all three crew killed at around 10:40 hrs. One source (see link #8) reports that Blenheim P4913 was claimed as having been shot down by Oblt Gerhard 'Gerd' Sprenger of I./JG.3 in a Bf 109E "north west of Charleroi".
Crew of Blenheim P4913:
Flying Officer (Pilot) John Ernest Edwards, RAF 36151, age 26, killed in action 15/05/1940
Leading Aircraftman (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) Stanley Johnson, RAF 541085, killed in action 15/05/1940
Sergeant (Observer) Charles Thomas White, RAF 580429, age 23, killed in action 15/05/1940
All three crew were buried at Ecaussinnes d'Enghien Communal Cemetery, Hainaut, Belgium. There are only six CWGC graves in this cemetery - the above three are half of them. (The other three are the crew of Blenheim N6217)
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 27)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/378: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502265
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2254371/edwards,-john-ernest/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2254372/johnson,-stanley/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2254374/white,-charles-thomas/
6. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/40_squadron.html#1505
7. http://www.belgians-remember-them.eu/crash-hai-ecau2.php
8. http://www.aircrewremembered.com/KrackerDatabase/?s=1600&q=Karl%2C
9. https://www.ww2cemeteries.com/ecaussinnes-denghien-communal-cemetery.html
10. http://aircrewremembered.com/edwards-john-ernest.html
11. http://www.inmemories.com/Cemeteries/ecaussines.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Jul-2019 16:20 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 17-Jul-2019 13:36 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 26-Jun-2022 21:17 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation