Date:	Sunday 22 December 1940
Time:	early mornin
Type:	Vickers Wellington Mk IC
Owner/operator:	37 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L7865
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	30 miles SE of Sidi Barrani, Matruh -   Egypt
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	LG09 Bir Kurayyim
Destination airport:	LG09 Bir Kurayyim

Narrative:
Took off on 21-12-1940 at 23:00hrs from LG09 Bir Koraiyim.
The crew was on a mission to bomb Berka aerodrome when an engine failed en route, forcing the pilot to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest in flames in a desert area located 30 miles southeast of Sidi Barrani, Matruh, Egypt. The aircraft was wrecked while all crew six members were rescued after a long walk to the coastal road.

Crew:
P/O H A LAX
P/O A W DOEL (RNZAF)
Sgt J BLYTH
Sgt J HENDERSON
Sgt ? MARTIN
P/O R N RIDLEY

1. Air Britain RAF Aircraft L1000 - N9999
2. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:https://www.baaa-acro.com/1940/archives/crash-of-a-vickers-wellington-in-egypt/.]
3. National Archive Kew, 37 Sqdn ORB Record of events AIR27/388/26 page 17
4. Bomber Command Losses In the Middle East and Med. (Volume 1: 1939-1942) David Gunby & Pelham Temple, page 36
5. Wise without eyes. Kevin Mears, page 128-130

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Jul-2008 08:36	JINX	Added
26-Feb-2012 05:49	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Source, ]
15-Jan-2017 22:14	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
03-Apr-2024 11:46	Redwine163	Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
06-Sep-2025 08:46	MMR	Updated [Date, Total occupants, Source, Narrative, ]