Date:	Tuesday 21 May 1940
Time:	night
Type:	Vickers Wellington Mk 1c
Owner/operator:	115 Sqn RAF
Registration:	P9298
MSN:	KO-H
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Tourpes, Leuze-en-Hainaut, Hainaut -   Belgium
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Marham, Norfolk
Destination airport:	RAF Marham, Norfolk

Narrative:
Vickers Wellington Mk.1c P9298 (KO-H) of 115 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) when lost (failed to return) from a combat operation on the night of 20-21 May 1940. All six crew killed. According to the official Air Ministry file into the incident (File AIR 81/452): "Wellington P9298 crashed at Tourpes, Belgium, 21 May 1940. Sergeant L G Moores, Sergeant A H Hooper, Sergeant K W Hughes, Aircraftman 1st Class J T Packer, Aircraftman 2nd Class D Duggan and Aircraftman 1st Class G E Flanigan, report of deaths".

On the night of 20-21 May 1940 a force of Wellingtons from 75, 99 and 115 Squadrons were tasked to attack the Meuse Crossings at Dinant and troop concentrations near Cambrai. Three 115 Squadron Wellingtons were lost on this operation (P9298/KO-H, R3152/KO-J and P9297/KO-F). Wellington P9298 was Airborne 23.45 hrs, on 20/05/1940 from RAF Marham, Norfolk, to attack enemy transport in the Cambrai - Le Cateau - Cambresis - St.Quentin triangle. Believed shot down by flak/AAA, in the early hours of May 21, crashed and exploded with all bombs still on board. Aircraft came down at Tourpes, Leuze-en-Hainaut, located in the Walloon Region in the province of Hainaut at approximate co ordinates 50°34'23" North, 3°39'04" East. All six crew killed.

Crew:-
Pilot : Flight Sergeant Leonard George Moores RAF 563572 [Killed]
2nd Pilot : Sergeant Alfred Harold Hooper RAFVR 700445 [Killed]
Observer : Sergeant Kenneth William Hughes RAF 581182 [Killed]
Wireless Operator : Aircraftman 2nd Class Douglas Duggan RAF 631247 [Killed]
Wireless Operator : Aircraftman 1st Class Gerard Edward Flanigan RAF 552105 [Killed]
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Aircraftman 1st Class John Thomas Packer RAF 621150 [Killed]

All six crew fatalities were buried at the Schoonselhof Cemetery, Belgium (51.166083 / 4.368341)

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft P1000-P9999 (James J Halley, Air Britain, 1980 p 52)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/452: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14502123
3. http://www.epibreren.com/ww2/raf/115_squadron.html#202105
4. https://115squadron-raf.be/crews/Wellington%20Mk%20IC%20-%20P9298%20-%20KO-H.html
5. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-vickers-416-wellington-ic-near-cambrai-6-killed
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2255173/duggan,-douglas/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2255246/flanigan,-gerard-edward/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2255438/hooper,-alfred-harold/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2255460/hughes,-kenneth-william/
10. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2255709/moores,-leonard-george/
11. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2255778/packer,-john-thomas/ .
12. Rob Davis Bomber Command Losses Database

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Jul-2019 01:01	Dr. John Smith	Added
28-Jul-2019 01:02	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
28-Jul-2019 04:24	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]
29-Jul-2019 20:39	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
26-Jun-2022 02:17	Ron Averes	Updated [Location]
16-May-2024 06:48	Rob Davis	Updated [Source, Narrative]