Date:	Wednesday 4 September 1940
Time:	Early mornin
Type:	Fairey Swordfish Mk I
Owner/operator:	813 Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	K8398
MSN:	F2580
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Mediterranean Sea, off Rhodes Island, Greece. -   Greece
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Eagle
Destination airport:	HMS Eagle

Narrative:
813 Sqn. FAA Royal Navy, Fairy Swordfish K8398 'E4-C', operating from the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, crashed into Mediterranean Sea on 4th September 1940, following combat with Italian Fiat fighters during a bombing attack on Maritza Airfield, Rhodes Island, Greece, killing the three aircrew, Pilot, Lieutenant, David Robert Henry Drummond; Observer, Sub-Lieutenant, Alan Macfarlane Todd and Air Gunner, Leading Airman, Gordon Emmett Derwent.

Twenty one Swordfish aircraft from the aircraft carriers HMS Illustrious and HMS Eagle, stationed off Rhodes Island, Greece, were launched on an early morning attack on the Rhodes Island airfields on the 4th September 1940.
Four Swordfish from 813 Squadron, HMS Eagle were lost in combat with Italian Fiat fighters in the attack on Maritza Airfield, three ditching in the Mediterranean Sea and one force landing on Scarpanto Island, Greece.

U-boats in Atlantic, September 1940 (naval-history.net)
Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Flying Personnel 1939 - 1947 (aircrewremembered.com)
RAFCommands Forums
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4 September 1940 (etherit.co.uk)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Feb-2021 18:39	Peter Clarke	Added
13-Feb-2021 21:49	Nepa	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Operator]