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| Date: | Monday 4 September 1939 |
| Time: | 05:45 |
| Type: |  Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk II |
| Owner/operator: | 58 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | K8969 |
| MSN: | GE-G |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | next to River Marne, Dormans, 35 km SW of Reims -
 France
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire |
| RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire |
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk II K8969 "GE-G" of 58 Squadron, RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire. Written off (lost on combat operations): Left RAF Leconfield at 22:19 LT on 3.9.39 for a Nickel raid on the Ruhr (leaflets dropping). While cruising by night, an engine failed, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. Aircraft crash landed in a cabbage field located along the River Marne, on the east bank of the river, near the village of Dormans, some 35 km southwest of Reims. While all five occupants survived, but were injured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:-
Pilot : Flying Officer John Anthony O'Neill DFC RAF 37117
2nd Pilot : Pilot Officer Charles Stuart Pemberton Russell DFC RAF 39572
Observer : Sergeant Kenneth Charles Rawles RAF 520988 (Officer:45987 : Commission Gazetted Thursday 19 June, 1941)
Wireless Operator : Aircraftman 1st Class Mitchell RAF
Air Gunner : Aircraftman 1st Class Walker RAF
Sources:
1. http://harringtonmuseum.org.uk/Aircraft%20lost%20on%20Allied%20Forces%20Special%20Duty%20Operations.pdf
2. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=3984
3, https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-armstrong-whitworth-aw38-whitley-iii-dormans
4. http://www.planetrace.co.uk/1930-1939_35.html
5. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database http://robdavistelford.co.uk/webspace/raf_bc
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Apr-2016 18:23 | gerard57 | Added |
| 09-Nov-2018 17:27 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Operator, ] |
| 20-Mar-2019 12:26 | Anon. | Updated [Cn, Narrative, ] |
| 15-Apr-2019 17:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-May-2025 06:22 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
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