ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 228931
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| Date: | Friday 7 June 1940 |
| Time: | 10:15 LT |
| Type: |  Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
| Owner/operator: | 53 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | R3602 |
| MSN: | PZ-N |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | between Hiermont and Yvrench, Somme Department -
 France
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Rouen-Boos airfield, France |
| Rouen-Boos (F) |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV R3602 (PZ-N) 53 Squadron, RAF: Written off (damaged beyond repair) when lost (Failed To Return) from a Reconnaissance operation. Of the three crew, two survived, one died of injuries sustained . According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/800): "Blenheim R3602 attacked by enemy aircraft, France, 6 June 1940. Sergeant H H Wilson: report of death from wounds".
Airborne from Rouen-Boos, France for a Reconnaissance operation between Dreuil-les-Amiens and Ault, France. Shot down by a Bf 109 between Hiermont and Yvrench; possibly the aircraft claimed as shot down by Oblt Kupka of 9./JG 3. Aircraft belly landed between Hiermont and Yvrench, and despite being officially written off as "damaged beyond repair", it is believed that it was captured by the enemy sufficiently undamaged for it to be flown in enemy hands. As stated above, one of the three crew was killed, having died of this wounds. The other two crew bailed out and appear to have landed in "friendly territory", enabling them to evade capture and return to their unit
Crew of Blenheim R3602:
Pilot Officer J N Bether (pilot) - survived, bailed out, evaded capture, returned to his unit
Sergeant Randall (Observer) - survived, bailed out, evaded capture, returned to his unit
Sergeant Henry Humphrey Wilson (Wireless Op./Air Gunner) RAF 630349, aged 24 - injured, repatriated (see below)
Sergeant Wilson survived the initial crash, but suffered severe head injuries. Repatriated to England and died 7 August 1940 (exactly two months later) in Hurstwood Park Hospital, Haywards Heath, Sussex of wounds sustained. Buried at Childwall (All Saints) Churchyard, Chilwall, Liverpool, Lancashire, UK
According to some sources (see link #5) Blenheim R3602 belly-landed back at base (Rouen-Boos, France) and was abandoned by retreating British forces. It was then that it fell into enemy hands, was repaired to flying condition, and flown by the Luftwaffe.
The reported location of this incident, Hiermont, is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France at approximate Coordinates: 50°11′46″N 2°04′37″E. Yvrench is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France at approximate Coordinates: 50°10′46″N 2°00′19″E. The two locations are approximately 6 to 7 km apart.
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft R1000-R9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1980)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/800: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502471
3. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2698339/wilson,-henry-humphrey/
4. Photograph of damaged airframe: https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Blenheim/RAF-53Sqn-PZ/pages/Bristol-Blenheim-MkIV-RAF-53Sqn-PZN-R3602-shot-down-France-6th-June-1940.html
5. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?6266-Henry-Humphrey-Wilson-630349
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiermont
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yvrench .
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 9 May 1940 | R3634 | 53 Sqn RAF | 1 | Laboissière, north-east of Montdidier, Somme, Hauts de France | |
w/o |
| 18 May 1940 | L4841 | 53 Sqn RAF | 3 | Near Frévent, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France | |
w/o |
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Sep-2019 22:47 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 11-Sep-2019 22:48 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 11-Sep-2019 22:49 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Sep-2019 22:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 13-Sep-2019 16:19 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
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