Accident Handley Page Hampden Mk I AD803 ,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 203472
 
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Date:Saturday 16 May 1942
Time:01:53
Type:Handley Page Hampden Mk I
Owner/operator:408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF
Registration: AD803
MSN: EQ-L
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:sea south of Samsø island, Midtjylland -   Denmark
Phase: Combat
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Balderton - takeoff at 22:35 hrs
Destination airport:operation - Gardening (mine-laying) - Pumkin (Samsø Belt)
Narrative:
An eyewitness stated "An aircraft flying at 1,200 feet on a western course passed over a German minesweeper at anchor two nautical miles west of the Vesborg Lighthouse, Samsø Island. Flak from the ship opened up and immediately hit the aircraft which crashed into flames. The aircraft floated for a while, and this allowed Pilot Sgt H J Copeman to get out of the wreck. He became a prisoner of war. He was badly injured and was picked up by the ship they had shot at and taken to Aarhus. Sgt Copeman. In September 1944 he was repatriated back to England onboard the ship “Gripsholm” due to his wounds. In October 1944 he returned to Canada on board “Lady Nielson”.

Crew
Pilot: R/66356 Sgt H J Copeman RCAF PoW Stalag Luft t 6 Heydekrug. PoW Number 42897 (
R/73007 Flt Sgt Albert Alexander Smith RCAF - Runnymede Memorial Panel 106.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner:1305085 Sgt Norman William Smith - Tranebjerg Churchyard
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: R/58166 Sgt William Francis Millerd RCAF - Aarhus West Cemetery Row G, Grave 308.

Sources:

www.airmen.dk/all-HAM.htm
CWGC
Bomber Command Losses 1942
RAF Prisoners of War
http://www.flensted.eu.com/194222.shtml

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
19 July 1942 AT227 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF 4 North Sea NW of Vlieland, Friesland w/o

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
27-Dec-2017 22:40 Red Dragon Added
06-Oct-2018 18:04 Nepa Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator]
06-May-2022 12:04 TigerTimon Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

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