Date:	Wednesday 25 March 1942
Time:	evening
Type:	Vickers Wellington Mk II
Owner/operator:	12 Sqn RAF
Registration:	W5578
MSN:	PH-?
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	close to Escoublac, Loire-Atlantique département -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Binbrook (takeoff at 18:23 LT)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The aircraft caught fire in the bomb bay just after dropping their bombs. It is possible that hung up flares were the cause.

In a later POW report Flt Lt Mayo stated “ A few seconds after releasing the bombs and turning off target, the aircraft burst into flames coming from the bomb bay possibly caused by hung up flares, as flak was not noticed at that stage except light stuff lower down. The flames quickly spread and the abandon order was given. The intercom then packed up and the aircraft seemed to be diving out of control. Except for Currie, I was the first to bale out at approx 15,000 feet and I believe the aircraft blew up almost immediately as I saw no sign of it after the chute opened. Parts of the aircraft were picked up by the Germans the next day in the Bay of La Baule. I joined up with Currie on the following day at a section of the Luftwaffe at St Nazaire. There was no sign of the rest of the crew after leaving the aircraft. Later I heard from the Red Cross that the bodies of the 4 others had been washed up and identified near St Nazaire. I landed in the water after baling out and had to swim ashore. Captured after reaching land. Released by Americans
on 7/5/45.”

Crew
Pilot: 404876 Sgt Einer Ernest Due RAAF - Escoublac-La-Baule War Cemetery 2. D. 3.
2nd Pilot: 403170 Sgt Robert Eric Greeenwell - Escoublac-La-Baule War Cemetery 2. B. 11.
Observer: 402968 Flt Lt T H Mayo PoW Camp L3 Sagan & Belaria. PoW Number 20.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: Flt Sgt Gordon John Sheahan - Escoublac-La-Baule War Cemetery 1. D. 15.
Air Gunner: Sgt John Henry Ives - Escoublac-La-Baule War Cemetery 1. D. 16.
Air Gunner 407822 Sgt A McG Currie RAAF PoW Camp 344 Lamsdorf. PoW Number 24806

RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS.
CWGC
RAF Prisoners War
France-Crashes 39-45

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
18-Nov-2017 18:47	Red Dragon	Added
18-Oct-2018 19:20	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator, ]
21-Mar-2022 15:52	TigerTimon	Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Source, ]
21-Mar-2022 15:52	TigerTimon	Updated [Departure airport, ]