ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 228838
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| Date: | Wednesday 5 June 1940 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: |  Armstrong Whitworth Whitley B Mk V |
| Owner/operator: | 77 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | N1522 |
| MSN: | AWA.1650 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Ghent, East Flanders -
 Belgium
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Driffield, North Yorkshire |
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley B.Mk.V N1522 (KN-G) 77 Sqaudron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations. All five crew survived, but were captured and taken as PoWs. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/774): "Whitley N1522 crashed near Ghent, Belgium, 5 June 1940. Sergeant M A Oliver, Sergeant W G Best, Leading Aircraftman V G Allen, Aircraftman 1st Class D V Browne and Pilot Officer A C Meigh: prisoners of war".
Airborne at 21:03 on 3 June 1940 from RAF Driffield, North Yorkshire. Target: Gelsenkirchen, Germany. While flying over Ghent, Belgium, an engine caught fire. Pilot Officer Meigh sent a signal saying he was making for Abbeville in France, but this was quickly followed by a second signal stating that the crew were abandoning the aircraft. As stated above, all five crew bailed out successfully, but were captured after parachuting out of the Whitley, and taken as PoWs.
Crew of Whitley N1522:
Pilot Offcer Alan C. Meigh; survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned as PoW No. 2267 in German captivity at Stalag Luft III
Sgt W.G. Best; survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camps 8B/L6/357 as PoW No.13104
Sgt M.A. Oliver; survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camps 8B/L6/357 as PoW No.13033
LAC V.G. Allen; survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camps 8B/L6/357 as PoW No.13023
AC1 D.V. Browne; survived, captured, taken as a PoW. Interned in PoW Camps 8B/L6/357 as PoW No.13087
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft N1000-N9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1977)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/774: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502383
3. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/77_squadron.html#030406
4. http://www.belgians-remember-them.eu/squadron51-100.php#77%20Squadron
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Sep-2019 21:10 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 17-Sep-2019 20:05 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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