Incident Bristol Blenheim Mk IV L8735, Saturday 11 May 1940
ASN logo
 
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:Saturday 11 May 1940
Time:18:20
Type:Silhouette image of generic BLEN model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Bristol Blenheim Mk IV
Owner/operator:21 Sqn RAF
Registration: L8735
MSN: YH-C
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Minor
Location:RAF Watton, Norfolk, England -   United Kingdom
Phase: Landing
Nature:Military
Departure airport:RAF Watton, Norfolk
Destination airport:RAF Watton
Narrative:
Twelve Blenheims took off at 15:10 hrs. to attack German armoured columns in Belgium heading west from Maastricht to Tongres, arriving over the target at 16.30 hrs. Some aircraft landed back at Watton, others at the satellite airfield at Bodney.

Blenheim L8735/YH-C: Take-off at 15:10hrs for a attack German armoured columns in Belgium heading west from Maastricht to Tongres. 11/05/1940
Blenheim L8735 was being damaged by ground-fire during an attack on enemy columns between Maastricht and Tongres at approximately 16.30 hrs. The enemy defences created a thick screen of flak when during the Blenheims shallow dive- bombed and gained hits on an assortment of vehicles that clogged the road.
Blenheim L8735 returned at 18.20 hrs. after being damaged by ground-fire during an attack on enemy column.
Blenheim L8735 was damaged shrapnel during the attack, while no less than eight of the Squadron's aircraft were unserviceable due to battle damage (bullet holes) the following morning.
Aircraft was damaged but repairable.
Crew:
F/Lt (37418). Lawrence Victor Elliott PETLEY (Pilot) RAF Ok
Sgt.(561745) Ernest Frank HART (Obs.) RAF Ok
LAC (551662) Wilfred Marshall HARRIS (WOp/AG) RAF Ok.

Sources:

Blenheim production list
ORB 21 Sqdn RAF
CWGC

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
02-Oct-2024 17:14 Nepa Added [Operator, ]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2025 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org