Date:	Friday 17 May 1940
Time:	06:30
Type:	Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Owner/operator:	82 (United Provinces) Sqn RAF
Registration:	P4903
MSN:	UX-U
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Laon, Aisne department in Hauts-de-France -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Watton, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Blenheim P4903/U: Written off (destroyed) when lost on combat operations over Gembloux (Belg.) 17/05/1940
All of the three crew survived and evaded capture. According to the official Air Ministry file on the incident (File AIR 81/402): "Blenheim P4903 failed to return from an operational flight over France, 17 May 1940. Sergeant L H Wrightson, injured. Sergeant S J Beaumont and Leading Aircraftman K A Thomas, uninjured"

On 17th May, 1940, twelve aircraft of 82 Squadron, based at RAF Watton, in Norfolk, took off to attack troop concentrations at Gembloux, Belgium, where the German army was sweeping West towards the Channel ports. Blenheim P4903 (UX-U) was airborne at 04:50 hrs from RAF Watton, Norfolk. One of the 12 Blenheims lost by 82 Sqn on this operation.

They were supposed to have a Hurricane fighter escort but they were intercepted before the escort arrived, and they had to proceed without their escorts. As they reached their target, 15 German Bf-109 fighters attacked them.
Blenheim P4903/U. Take-off at 04:50 hrs for attack enemy armoured columns at Gembloux (Belg). 17/05/1940
Blenheim P4903: Shot down by Bf 109s of 1./JG 3 en route to attack enemy armoured columns at Gembloux and abandoned six miles south of Presles-et-Thierny (Aisne) south of Laon at approximately 6.00- 6.30 a.m.
Crew:
Sgt Stanley James BEAUMONT (Obs.) RAF bailed out /Ok
LAC Kenneth Alfred THOMAS (WOp/AG) RAF - bailed out /Ok
Sgt (580332) Leslie Howard WRIGHTSON (pilot.) RAF bailed out but badly injured on landing.

Carrying their injured pilot between them, Beaumont and Thomas joined a refugee column before taking the pilot to a French hospital. All eventually reached Paris by train. From there they made for Nantes from where they were evacuated to Cornwall by a French fishing boat. Beaumont and Thomas rejoined their unit on June 1st , while Wrightson was admitted to a hospital in Liverpool for further treatment.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/402: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/C14502073
3. The Squadron That Died Twice - The story of No. 82 Squadron RAF by By Gordon Thorburn
4. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=8010
5. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/82_squadron.html#1705

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Jan-2012 10:18	Uli Elch	Added
17-Jul-2019 18:51	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ]
17-Jul-2019 18:51	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Country, ]
18-Jul-2019 10:49	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, ]
01-Jan-2021 16:37	Anon.	Updated [Destination airport, Narrative, Operator, ]
04-Sep-2024 22:12	Nepa	Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator, ]