ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 227219
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| Date: | Thursday 18 July 1940 |
| Time: | 14:00 LT |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 53 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | R3661 |
| MSN: | PZ-A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Klemskerke, mouth of the Schelde, Zeeland -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Detling, Maidstone, Kent |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV R3661 (PZ-A) 53 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over the Netherlands. All three crew killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/1137): "Blenheim R3661 believed to have crashed at sea, 18 July 1940. Flying Officer J E Mahony and Sergeant D A Keetley: missing presumed dead. Sergeant G E Exton: report of death"
Took off for an Armed Recce operation to Vlissingen, Zeeland. Shot down by fighter Feldwebel Georg Kiening of the 6./JG 54, who was flying a Bf 109E from Vlissingen airfield. Blenheim R3661 came down at Klemskerke, mouth of the Schelde, Zeeland. No survivors among the crew of three, and only one of the bodies of the crew was washed ashore.
Crew:
Pilot: Flying Officer John Edward Mahony, RAF 39237 - killed in action 18/07/1940
Observer: Sgt. Denys Arthur Keetley, RAF 74777 - killed in action 18/07/1940
Wireless Op./Air Gunner: Sgt. G.E. Exton, RAF 640689; killed in action 18/07/1940
Sgt Exton was the only crew member whose body was washed ashore; he was buried 14/07/1940 in Belgium at grave location IV.AB.8. Reburied at Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium. The bodies of the other two crew members were never found, and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft R1000-R9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1980 p 23)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/1137: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14503076
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1079824/mahony,-john-edward/
4. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1802510/keetley,-denys-arthur/
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2082991/exton,-george-edward/
6. https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T0750B&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=
7. http://www.belgians-remember-them.eu/crash-ovl-0nl6.php
8. https://www.oorlogsslachtofferszeeland.nl/index.php/nl/?option=com_bmzviewer&view=bmzviewer&id=100&lang=&RecordID=6387
9. http://www.sea-arch.be/sites/sea-arch.be/files/public/docs/Eindconferentie/VanHaelst_%20behoudOWE.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Jul-2019 15:26 | TigerTimon | Added |
| 17-Jul-2019 13:40 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator] |
| 16-Oct-2019 17:42 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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