Date:	Wednesday 22 May 1940
Time:	20:45
Type:	Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Owner/operator:	82 (United Provinces) Sqn RAF
Registration:	P4828
MSN:	UX-K
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near Neufchatel-Hardelot, 7 km WSW of Samer, Pas-de-Calais -   France
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Watton, Norfolk
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Blenheim P4828/K: Written off (destroyed) when lost from combat operations over Hedsin, France 22/05/1940
All three crew killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incidnet (File AIR 81/515): "Blenheim L4828 [sic] crashed at Neufchatel, France, 22 May 1940. Aircraftman 2nd Class A W Elliot, Sergeant J W Hartfield and Sergeant F Phillipson - report of deaths"

Blenheim P4828 was airborne at 18.45 hrs from RAF Watton, Norfolk to attack targets in the area of Hesdin. Shot down near Neufchatel-Hardelot (Pas- de-Calais), 7 km West-South-West of Samer, France, probably by flak/AAA. As stated above. all three crew were killed.
Crew:
AC.2 (626895) Angus Whitson ELLIOT (WOp/AG) RAF killed
Sgt (740678) John William HARTFIELD (pilot) RAF killed
Sgt (563677) Frederick PHILLIPSON (Obs.) RAF killed

The reported crash location of Neufchâtel-Hardelot is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France at approximate Coordinates: 50°37′N 1°38′E

Note that the official Air Ministry File AIR 81/515 lists the Blenheim involved as "L4828" when it was actually P4828. Presumably, this was entirely down to a typing error - although the serial L4828 was also allocated to a Blenheim Mk.IV. However, Blenheim Mk.IV L4828 never saw RAF service, having been diverted immediately after delivery on 21 September 1939 to the Turkish Air Force.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain)
2. National Airchvies (PRO Kew) File Air 81/515: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/C14502136
3. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/82_squadron.html#2205
4. http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1027
5. https://www.cwgc.org/
6. Blenheim production list
7. ORB 82 Sqdn RAF
8. http://www.oldhaltonians.co.uk/pages/rememb/ROH/21.htm

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
08-Aug-2019 19:19	Dr. John Smith	Added
09-Aug-2019 05:52	stehlik49	Updated [Operator, ]
11-Aug-2024 10:30	Nepa	Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator, ]
04-Sep-2024 22:34	Nepa	Updated [Source, Narrative, Operator, ]