ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 53814
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: | Tuesday 27 August 1940 |
| Time: | 07:20 LT |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 61 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | P4324 |
| MSN: | QR-P |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | Vliehors Sandbank, Vlieland, Friesland -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire |
| RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire |
Handley Page Hampden Mk.I P4324 (QR-P) of 61 Squadron, RAF Hemswell. Lost on combat operations on the night of 26-27/8/1940 on an op against Merseburg, near Leipzig. The crew of four took off from Hemswell, ran out of fuel and force landed on the Vliehors sandbank on the Dutch island of Vlieland. The plane made a successful emergency landing as a result of fuel starvation, the pilot thinking that he was in Scotland. The plane had, in fact, landed on the beach of the island of Vlieland and was not damaged. The crew of four survived and were taken PoWs:
Crew:
Flying Officer Peter David Tunstall (pilot)
Sgt. Albert E. Murdoch (navigator / bomb director),
Sgt. W.J. Joyce (W/Op Air gunner)
Sgt. John W. Brock (Air gunner).
All crew members were 21 years old, this was to have been their 18th combat operation. The Hampden was found intact, recovered, and was later flown to Germany for inspection.
This is the Peter Tunstall of Colditz fame. He quotes the crew positions as per the above crew details. His promotion to Flight Lieutenant Gazetted 11th November 1941. His service number suggests a commission Gazetted on 14tth November 1939.
Following capture and a sojourn at Dulag Luft, Oberusel, Tunstall was sent to Stalag Luft I, Barth. He escaped disguised as a German NCO and reached Stalsund with a view to making his way over the connecting bridge, but was captured when his appearance and lack of money and documents aroused suspicion. Laterhe escapewd from Stalag XXA, Thorn as part of a false working-party and made his way to the nearby Luftwaffe airfield, hoping to steal a Junkers F.13, but were caught by the guards patrolling the aircraft dispersal points.
Later with accomplices and using stolen civilian clothing and false uniform, another escape was made with a view to flying off to Switzerland in a stolen aircraft from the aerodrome at Kassel, to which they managed to gain entry. Briefed on how to fly a Ju52 or Ju86, none were stationed there and they set off on foot for Belgium, dressed as Luftwaffe airmen. After three weeks living off they land, they were recaptured by a guard who recognised Tunstall from having served at Spangenberg. Following more escape attempts he was sent to Colditz.
At the war's end, Peter Tunstall had been court-martialled five times by the Germans and served 415 days' solitary confinement, with several months left unserved. He died in South Africa at the end of July 2013.
Sources:
1. https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T0797&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=
2. https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-allies-and-axis-lost/hampden/25011-P43241940-08-27.html
3. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?6385-Hampden-QR-R-Bundesarchiv-picture
4. 1986 interview with pilot of P4324: http://www.avianet.eu/meer_luchtvaartnieuws.php?ID=3649
5. https://studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/26-27-08-1940-sglo-t0797-handley-page-hampden-mk-i-p4324-qr-p/
6. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 5 August 1940 | P4357 | 61 Sqn RAF | 1 | North Sea, near Skipsea Ranges, off Bridlington, East Yorkshire |  |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2008 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 15-Jul-2015 12:47 | gerard57 | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 30-Jun-2018 23:31 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 30-Jun-2018 23:33 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 03-Nov-2018 09:06 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 31-Jul-2019 05:50 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Source] |
| 15-Jun-2022 04:51 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
| 26-Aug-2022 07:08 | Anon. | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation