Accident Bristol Blenheim Mk IV L8734,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 228188
 
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:Saturday 25 May 1940
Time:18:00
Type:Silhouette image of generic BLEN model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Owner/operator:21 Sqn RAF
Registration: L8734
MSN: YH-P
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Kezelberg, near Moorsele, 8km SSW of Roeselare, West Flanders. -   Belgium
Phase: Combat
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Watton, Norfolk
Destination airport:
Narrative:
Blenheim L8734/P: Took off at 15:30 hrs to bomb the strategic bridge at Lys. Northern France. 25/05/1940.
Shot down by enemy Flak during an attack on pontoon crossings between Menin and Courtrai at 18:00 hrs.
Crashed at Kezelberg, near Moorsele (West-Vlaanderen), 8 km South South West of Roeselare, Belgium.
Crew:
Sgt (509523) Harold ROWSON (pilot) RAF - POW
Sgt (528054) Arthur Knightley Roland KEATES (Obs) RAF - killed
LAC (548680) Donald Vincent CLEAVER (WOp/AG) RAF - killed

Sources:

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 59)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/563: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502014
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2252914/cleaver,-donald-vincent/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2252917/keates,-arthur-knightley-roland/
5. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/21_squadron.html#25
6. http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=8435
7. http://www.belgians-remember-them.eu/crash-wvl-moor.php
8. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moorsele

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
8 June 1940 L9023 21 Sqn RAF 3 Le Mesge, 13 miles NW of Amiens, Somme, Hauts de France. w/o
24 May 1941 V5595 21 Sqn RAF 0 RAF Watton, Norfolk, England min
18 July 1941 V5595 21 Sqn RAF 0 English Channel off Gravelines, departement Nord, 25 km SW of Dunkirk. w/o
12 August 1941 V5874 21 Sqn RAF 3 North Sea off Texel, Noord-Holland w/o

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
13-Aug-2019 23:53 Dr. John Smith Added
15-Aug-2019 05:13 stehlik49 Updated [Operator]
09-May-2022 05:54 Rob Davis Updated [Narrative]
20-Jun-2022 17:24 Anon. Updated [Narrative]
04-Nov-2022 21:20 Ron Averes Updated [Location]
04-Nov-2022 21:26 Ron Averes Updated [Location]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org