ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 228092
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| Date: | Thursday 23 May 1940 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 53 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | R3691 |
| MSN: | PZ-X |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near St. Omer, Pas de Calais -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Poix-de-Picardie, France |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV R3691 (PZ-X) 53 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from combat operations over St. Omer, Pas de Calais on 23 May 1940. All three crew bailed out and survived, but were captured and taken as PoWs. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/526): "Blenheim R3691 crashed at St Omer, France, 23 May 1940. Sergeant A J Haygreen, Aircraftman 2nd Class H Spear and Flying Officer S G L Pepys - prisoners of war".
Crew of Blenheim R3691:
Flying Officer S G L Pepys (pilot, RAF 25125): Survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camp Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Poland as PoW No. 583
Sgt A J Haygteen (Observer, RAF 517848): Survived, captured, taken as a PoW, Interned in PoW Camp 357 as PoW No.6246
AC.2 H Spear (Wireless Op./Air Gunner, RAF 632888): Survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned on PoW Camp 357 as PoW No 7120
Reportedly, the pilot - F/O S G L Pepys - was a direct descendant of the famous 17th Century diarist Samuel Pepys (1633-1703).
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft R1000-R9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1980 p 23)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 818/526: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502147
3. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=7316
4. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/53_squadron.html
5. http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/squadron53b.html .
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 25 July 1940 | R3836 | 53 Sqn RAF | 3 | Waddenzee S of Terschelling, Friesland |  |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Aug-2019 23:34 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 11-Aug-2019 07:05 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 12-Oct-2019 21:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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