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Date: | Monday 2 October 1939 |
Time: | 05:05 |
Type: | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley B Mk IV |
Owner/operator: | 10 Sqn RAF |
Registration: | K9018 |
MSN: | AWA.1471 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | North Sea, 180 miles east of St. Abbs Head, Berwickshire, Scotland -
United Kingdom
|
Phase: | Combat |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Destination airport: | |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.IV K9018 (ZA-G) of 10 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 2 October 1939 when failed to return from combat operations. The aircraft left RAF Dishforth at 22:15 LT on 1 October 1939 on a "Nickel" (Leaflet Dropping) sortie, with Berlin as its objective. While cruising some 180 miles east of Saint Abbs Head, Berwickshire, Scotland, the aircraft disappeared into the North Sea. Last message received at 05:05 am. All five crew were posted as missing, presumed killed
Crew of Whitley K9018:
Acting Flight Lieutenant John William Allsop (pilot, Service Number 39452)
Pilot Officer Alan Gordon Salmon (2nd Pilot, Service Number 40321)
Aircraftman 1st Class John Rogerson Bell (Service Number 550003)
Aircraftman 1st Class Alfred Francis Hill (Service Number 545939)
Leading Aircraftman Fred Ellison (Service Number 526415)
Despite extensive Air and Sea Search No Trace of Aircraft nor Aircrew were ever located. All five are listed on the Runnymede Memorial to Airman with No Known Resting Place. No Night fighter Claims listed for that night, so not believed to have been shot down.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain 1976 p 75)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/26:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142109 3.
https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-armstrong-whitworth-aw38-whitley-iv-north-sea-5-killed 4. Colour photo of K9018, Biggin Hill, 1939:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/3374978903 5.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1082734/allsop,-john-william/ 6.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2940832/salmon,-alan-gordon/ 7.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1083750/bell,-john-rogerson/ 8.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1800095/hill,-alfred-francis/ 9.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1269582/ellison,-fred/ Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
02-Jun-2019 21:26 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
03-Jun-2019 09:41 |
stehlik49 |
Updated [Operator] |