ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 229724
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| Date: | Tuesday 2 July 1940 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Vickers Wellesley Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 47 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | K7777 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Gallabat, Al Qadarif -
 Sudan
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Summit ALG, Port Sudan, Sudan |
| RAF Summit ALG, Port Sudan, Sudan |
Vickers Wellesley Mk.I K7777, 47 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over the Sudanese/Ethiopia border. Both crew killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/1006): "Wellesley K7777 crashed at Gallabat, Sudan, 2 July 1940. Sergeant J W Davidson and Pilot Officer C G Bush"
According to a published magazine source ("Aeroplane Monthly" November 2014, page 44 see link #4): "From July 1, 1940 the focus of operations turned to Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) for those Wellesleys operating from Khartoum. Nine aircraft led by Wing Commander Elton attacked Gondar aerodrome, and the following day, five more attacked Metemma Camp with 250 lb bombs, 25 lb Incendary Bombs and machine-gun fire.
This risky operation came at the cost of Pilot Officer Bush and LAC Davidson in K7777, who were brought down by heavy ground fire. Both crew were thrown clear of the wreckage, Bush being killed instantly and Davidson succumbing to his injuries the following day."
Crew of Wellesley K7777:
Pilot Officer Colin Graham Bush (Pilot) RAF 40886, aged 21; killed in action 02/07/1940. Body not found/not recovered, Commemorated on the El Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Sergeant J W Davidson (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) RAF 522888, aged 22; died of injuries sustained 03/07/1940, buried at Keren War Cemetery, Eritrea
The reported crash location of Gallabat is a village in the Sudanese state of Al Qadarif. It lies at one of the country's border crossing points with Ethiopia; on the other side of the border is Ethiopia's corresponding border village of Metemma, at approximate Coordinates: 12°58′N 36°09′E. Note that James J Halley's book gives a different account: "shot down over Metemma 2 July 1940". Metemma (also known as Metemma Yohannes) is a town in northwestern Ethiopia, on the border with Sudan. Located in the Semien Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, Metemma has a latitude and longitude of 12°58′N 36°12′E with an elevation of 685 meters above sea level. Across the border is the corresponding Sudanese village of Gallabat.
The Air Mnistry AIR 81 file implies that Wellesley K7777 crashed on the Sudanese side of the border at Gallabat, although Metemma, Ethiopia (over the border) was the target area
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1976 p 64)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/1006: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502845
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1536099/bush,-colin-graham/
4. https://www.docdroid.net/xlHKrYW/harassing-the-italians-out-of-east-africa-aeroplane-november-2014.pdf#page=3
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallabat
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metemma .
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Oct-2019 21:06 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 04-Oct-2019 21:08 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 04-Oct-2019 21:12 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Oct-2019 11:08 | juza7 | Updated [Operator] |
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