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Date: | Saturday 8 June 1940 |
Time: | 11:30 LT |
Type: | Bristol Blenheim Mk IV |
Owner/operator: | 82 (United Provinces) Sqn RAF |
Registration: | R3618 |
MSN: | UX-N |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 3 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | Éplessier, 3 km NW of Poix-de-Picardie, Somme, Hauts de France -
France
|
Phase: | Combat |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | RAF Watton, Norfolk |
Destination airport: | RAF Watton |
Narrative:Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV R3618 (UX-N) 82 (United Provinces) Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (Failed To Return) from combat operations over France. Of the three crew, one was killed, and two survived to be captured and taken as PoWs. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/807): "Blenheim R3618 crashed in France, 8 June 1940. Sergeant J H Cooper: report of death. Sergeant F Crozier and Pilot Officer R C D McKenzie: prisoners of war".
Airborne 10:22 hours from RAF Watton, Norfolk. Cause of loss not established, but probably brought down by flak/AAA. Crashed near Éplessier (Somme), 3 km North West of Poix, France, where Sgt Cooper is buried in the local churchyard.
Crew of Blenheim R3618:
Pilot Officer R.C.D. McKenzie (Pilot); survived, captured, taken as PoW. Interned in PoW Camps 9AH/L3, as PoW No.1248.
Sergeant (Observer) Joseph Herbert Cooper, RAF 580606, age 20,killed in action 08/06/1940, buried at Eplessier Churchyard, Somme, Hauts de France
Sgt Crozier (Wireless Op./Air Gunner); Injured, captured, taken as PoW. Confined to Hospital due to injuries sustained. No PoW Number issued.
The reported crash location of Éplessier is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France, some 29 km (18 miles) west-southwest of Amiens, at approximate Coordinates: 49°47′48″N 1°57′28″E
Sources:
1. Royal Air Force Aircraft R1000-R9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain, 1980 p 23)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/807:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502530 3.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2952912/cooper,-joseph-herbert/ 4.
http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/82_squadron.html#0806ba 5.
http://francecrashes39-45.net/page_fiche_av.php?id=1007 6.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=39336 7.
http://www.inmemories.com/Cemeteries/eplessier.htm
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
16 October 1939 |
L1141 |
57 Sqn RAF |
0 |
near Lingen, Ems, Niedersachsen |
|
w/o |
17 May 1940 |
P4851 |
82 (United Provinces) Sqn RAF |
2 |
Missing near Gembloux, Namur |
|
mis |
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
12-Sep-2019 23:57 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
13-Sep-2019 16:18 |
Nepa |
Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator] |