This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Thursday 24 July 1941 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: | Handley Page Hampden Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 50 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | AD843 |
| MSN: | VN-R |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | North Sea, east of Cromer, Norfolk, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire |
| RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire |
23/24 July 1941
FRANKFURT
Nine aircraft bombed FRANKFURT. Aircraft departed RAF Swinderby from 22.30 onwards on the evening of 23/7/1941. Hampden AE228 returned early due to severe icing. Visibility again poor and bombing done on estimated position with few results noted. One aircraft, Hampden AD843 failed to return. All four crew were lost.
Crew:
919089 Sgt Lister Mowbray Megginson,RAFVR (pilot, aged 22) - KIA, body not recvoered
966817 Sgt Herbert Thomas Holme, RAFVR (Navigator/Bomb Aimer, aged 23) - KIA, body not recovered
1151053 Sgt William Martin Watt, (WOp/Air Gunner) RAFVR - KIA, body recovered for burial
649215 Flight Sgt. Robert Evans (WOp/Air Gunner, aged 22) RAF - KIA, body recovered for burial
The last radio communication from the aircraft was over the North Sea. After two fixes off Norfolk, the aircraft was last heard of on W/T while over the sea and may have come down in the sea East of Cromer. The bodies of Flight Sgt. Evans and Sgt. Watt were later recovered from the sea in an area East of Cromer; their companions are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sgt. Evans is buried in BOLTON (ASTLEY BRIDGE) CEMETERY, Lancashire while Sgt. Watt is buried in DUNDEE WESTERN CEMETERY, Dundee, Angus, Scotland. During the day of the 24/7/1941, Squadron aircraft performed air-sea rescue searches of the North Sea,in conjunction with other units to look for Hampden AD843.
Sources:
1. http://www.no-50-and-no-61-squadrons-association.co.uk/app/download/5802508903/50+SQUADRON+ORB+1939+1943+Revision+1.pdf
2. https://wallyswar.wordpress.com/operational-flight/
3. 50 Squadron RAF ORB (Air Ministry Form 540): http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2503123
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1076687/megginson,-lister-mowbray/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1800375/holme,-herbert-thomas/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2459306/watt,-william-martin/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2697807/evans,-robert/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Jul-2018 23:09 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 12-Nov-2018 20:33 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Operator, ] |
| 26-Jun-2023 17:17 | Nepa | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation