ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 179353
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| Date: | Wednesday 9 August 1939 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Vickers Wellington Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 149 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L4258 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | North Sea, off Happisburgh, 12 miles ENE of Bacton, Norfolk, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Vickers Wellington L4258: Crashed into the North Sea, off Happisburgh, 12 miles ENE of Bacton, Norfolk, whilst on a reconnaissance mission and/or a navigation training sortie from RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk. All five crew were killed. According to the following contemporary report from Flight Magazine (August 17 1939 - see link #2):
"With reference to the disappearance on August 9 of an aircraft of 149 Squadron, the Air Ministry announces with regret that, as extensive searches have failed to find the aircraft and the occupants, it must now be accepted that the following personnel lost their lives on that date:
Flying Officer Thomas Adam Darling (Canadian)
Pilot Officer Frank Edward Board
Acting Sgt Arthur Lickley
AC1 Reginald Charles Barr Collins
AC1 James William Sadler
According to a contemporary newspaper report ("The Ottawa Journal", Ottawa, Canada Thursday, August 10, 1939, Page 7 - see link #5):
"GUELPH, Ont, Aug. 9. (CP)
All hope has been abandoned for the safe return of Royal Air Force Flying Officer Thomas Adam Darling and four companions reported missing today in a British bomber during air exercises over the North Sea, according to a cable received here late today by Darling's parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Adam Darling said the cable, sent by the commander of the 149th Squadron of the Royal Air Force from Mildenhall, England, indicated a search for the bomber had proved fruitless and all aboard were believed to have lost their lives. Darling was one of several Guelph men serving with the Royal Air Force. He left for England in 1938 to train as a pilot. He was educated and lived most of his life in Guelph. Surviving are his parents, two sisters and a brother in Guelph."
Sources:
1. Folha da Manhã 10 August 1939, p 1+3
2. Flight Magazine August 17, 1939 p. 161 at https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939-1-%20-%200535.html
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_missing_aircraft
4. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-vickers-290-wellington-i-happisburgh-5-killed
5. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/48308483/
6. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?314-RAF-officer-deaths-1-1-29-3-9-39
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 07-Sep-2015 16:48 | TB | Added |
| 06-Feb-2017 19:55 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 06-Feb-2017 19:56 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 23-Dec-2017 18:26 | Nepa | Updated [Operator] |
| 01-Apr-2018 00:29 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 17-Oct-2018 17:55 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 01-Sep-2022 12:12 | Lipatov Sergey | Updated [Source] |
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