Date:	Wednesday 15 November 1939
Time:
Type:	Bristol Blenheim Mk I
Owner/operator:	92 Sqn RAF
Registration:	L1127
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near RAF Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Tangmere, West Sussex
Destination airport:	RAF Tangmere, West Sussex
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
On 15 November 1939 an engine of Blenheim L1127 failed on approach to RAF Tangmere, West Sussex and the aircraft stalled and dived into the ground. It was destroyed and the three men aboard were killed.
Crew (all killed):
P/O John Monroe-Hinds (90536) pilot RAF
P/O Hugh Kendrick Arthur Drummond (41834) pass. RAF
P/O Martin Victor Dugdale (41835) pass. RAF

The incident (and its aftermath) were recorded in the 92 Squadron ORB (Operations Record Book, a.k.a. Air Ministry Form 540) as follows:

"14.11.39: Sqn Ldr Bushell, Flt.Lt Green and P/O Monroe Hinds attempted to fetch two Blenheims from Tern Hill but were forced by bad weather to return to Tangmere. In the afternoon the weather closed right in and flying became impossible. The two Mercury experts from Bristols arrived.

15.11.39: Sqn Ldr Bushell, Flt Lt Green and P/O Monroe Hinds flew in one Blenheim to Tern Hill and brought back two new Blenheims. The non operationally trained officers did sector reconnaissance in 605 squadrons Tutors. In the evening P/O Monroe Hinds, who was flying one of the Blenheims brought this day from Tern Hill, crashed on the north east boundary of the aerodrome. Unfortunately both P/O J. Monroe Hinds and his two passengers, P/O Dugdale and P/O Drummond lost their lives. The cause of the accident is at present under review. The aircraft is a total wreck. The weather at the time was, for once, fine and clear.

16.11.39: No flying at all was possible this day, owing to incessant rain and low cloud. On investigation into the cause of the Blenheim accident during the previous day was carried out by the competent authorities.

17.11.39: Again, no flying was possible all day due to very bad weather. Considerable work was entailed in making the necessary funeral arrangements for the 3 Officers killed on the 15/11. The two crashed engines of the Blenheim were removed to station workshops for inspection.

18.11.39: Weather still very bad. P/O Drummond’s funeral took place at 11.00 hrs at Tangmere Church with full ceremonial. No flying was possible in the afternoon owing to heavy rain and low cloud."

According to an article dated 17 November 1939, Drummond learnt his flying under Flt Lt W Park (West Coast United Aero Club), at Greymouth, New Zealand, and was regarded as his most brilliant pupil, his advancement in aviation circles on the West Coast being exceptionally rapid. He left New Zealand in 1938 to join the Royal Air Force, where he promised to have a successful career.

Monroe-Hinds was another RAF member coming from another country. He was a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and also joined the RAF before the war.

It is notable that the official Air Ministry file on the accident (File AIR 81/1659) is "closed", and thus unavailable to public scrutiny, for 82 years, until 1 January 2031. This exemption was decided on by the National Archives in 2014 under "Exemption 1: Personal information where the applicant is a 3rd party" and "Exemption 2: Information provided in confidence".

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft L1000-L9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1978 p 6)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/1659: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16359698
3. http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13231.0
4. http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/Acc1939a.htm
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2437386/monroe-hinds,-john/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2723911/drummond,-hugh-kendrick-arthur/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2411318/dugdale,-martin-victor/
8. 92 Squadron RAF ORB (Air Ministry Form 540) October 1939-May 1940: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8455510
9. https://www.twgpp.org/photograph/view/1681197

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
13-Aug-2013 06:40	JINX	Added
15-Dec-2014 16:58	Holschtein	Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport]
01-Jun-2015 20:38	Tu104	Updated [Operator]
17-Nov-2015 07:14	JINX	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Destination airport]
07-Jan-2016 21:01	JIXN	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator]
22-Jan-2018 11:01	Laurent Rizzotti	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Nature, Source, Narrative]
26-Apr-2018 20:56	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
29-Apr-2018 15:23	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Source, Narrative]
06-Oct-2018 15:27	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Operator]
24-Jun-2019 23:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
03-May-2023 10:50	Nepa	Updated [[Source, Narrative]]