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| Date: | Saturday 3 August 1940 |
| Time: | 02:00 LT |
| Type: |  Vickers Wellington Mk IC |
| Owner/operator: | 115 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | R3202 |
| MSN: | KO-J |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Waddenzee near Rottumeroog, Groningen prv -
 Netherlands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Marham, Norfolk (KNF/EGYM) |
On the night of 2/3 August 1940 Wellington IC R3202 (KO-J of 115 Sq., RAF) took off from RAF Marham, Norfolk at 21:24 hours local time. Their mission was to bomb the oil refinery in Hamburg. The plane ditched at 02:00 local time 100 NM NE of the English Coast. A search was mounted by 3 aircraft from RAF Marham and Coastal Command. But to no effect.
The crew of six consisted of...
P/O Reginald Torrance Gerry, from Canada - KIA
Co-pilot P/O Ronald William Pryor, Observer - KIA
Flight Sergeant Richard James Ruffell - Hazell, DFM, wireless operator - MIA
Air Gunner Sgt Jack Millen Croft - MIA
Air Gunner P/O Sidney Wilde - KIA
Air Gunner Sergeant James Dempsey - KIA
All were KIA (Killed in Action), but two remain MIA (Missing In Action). Sgt. Dempsey's body was found at sea on 23 August 1940 and buried at Delfzijl General Cemetery. P/O Wilde is also buried in Delfzijl. P/O Pryor, who was found three days earlier, is buried in Uithuizen. P/O Gerry washed ashore the same day Sgt. Dempsey was found at sea. He is buried in Oldebroek General Cemetery. The bodies of the other two crew were never found.
Sources:
1. https://verliesregister.studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/rs.php?aircraft=&sglo=T0768&date=&location=&pn=&unit=&name=&cemetry=&airforce=&target=&area=&airfield=
2. http://www.basher82.nl/Data/Delfzijl/dempsey.htm
3. http://www.teunispats.net/t768.htm
4. http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?14837-RAF-WWII-bombing-mission-mystery
5. http://www.lostoverholland.nl/wellington-R3202-3-august-1940/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2008 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 08-Jan-2015 02:59 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 08-Jan-2015 03:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Embed code] |
| 27-Apr-2015 19:01 | ABBA | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator] |
| 28-Jun-2016 11:51 | Anon. | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 29-Jul-2019 17:41 | TigerTimon | Updated [Cn, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Source] |
| 15-Jun-2022 15:59 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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