ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 311560
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| Date: | Wednesday 5 May 1943 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Handley Page Halifax Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 35 (Madras Presidency) Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | DT489 |
| MSN: | TL-Y |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 7 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | west of Portland Gelling cross-roads in Huntingdonshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Graveley, Cambridgeshire |
| RAF Graveley |
Halifax DT489: Took off 22:07 hrs for Night bombing operation to Dortmund. 04/05/1943
The aircraft was part of a large force sent to attack Germany.
The operation called for five hundred and ninety-six aircraft - a mix of four engined Avro Lancasters, Handley Page Halifax, Short Stirlings, and two-engined Wellington bombers supported by De Havilland Mosquitos. (Source 1.)
Thirty one aircraft were lost in combat and a further seven crashed in bad weather over their bases and DT489 was one of these losses. Halifax DT489 crashed on return to base cause unknown coming down to the west of Portland Gelling cross-roads in Huntingdonshire. 05/05/1943
It crashed on its return leg to RAF Graveley and all aboard - except the rear gunner Sergeant Robertson - were killed. Source 2.
Following this operation Sergeant Robertson was withdrawn from operational flying duties.
The full crew were:
P/O Joseph Albert George Cobb (145671) RAFVR - Pilot.
Sgt Stanton Eric Arthur Russell (1183357) RAFVR - Nav. / Air Bomber
F/O Samuel Albert Coles (124952) RAFVR - Navigator
Sgt John Desmond Collinge (1026403) RAFVR - WOp/AG
Sgt Charles Harold Fisher (10558777) RAFVR - Air Gunner
Sgt Frederick Ronald Beech (1144928) RAFVR - Flt Eng.
Sgt James Howden Robertson (AG) RAFVR: injured
Those that died are buried in a variety of locations according to their families’ wishes.Source 3.
See sources below for more information.
Sources:
1. https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20070706055602/http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/may43.html
2. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8411046
3. https://35squadron.wordpress.com/2017/06/27/halifax-dt489-04051943/
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 29 August 1941 | L9501 | 35 (Madras Presidency) Sqn RAF | 7 | Gahlen, Schermbeck, Nordrhein-Westfalen |  |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-May-2023 05:32 | Richard | Added |
| 01-May-2023 08:50 | Nepa | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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