[Observer1940]

Hello Brian
One for your book, it now appears from my research that one of the two RAF Whitleys which crashed into a balloon 15th August 1940 near Eastleigh was involved in a friendly fire incident before the collision and crash.

14-15 August 1940 Headquarters No.4 Group

Two aircraft fouled balloon cables and crashed on return, one aircraft shot at by friendly aircraft but no damage. The other aircraft having engine and intercom trouble.

I have traced the "other aircraft" okay in the Squadron and Station ORBs and also the No.4 Group Signal in the appendices regarding Whitley P4982 which hit the balloon barrage of 956 Squadron Langley, HQ Colnbrook.

Whitley P5044
However, the Signal for Whitley P5044 is missing in the No.4 Group Appendices.

I have had two 'phone conversations with a Mr Stenhouse in New Zealand who learnt from an August 1940 AA Battery Commander that Captain Stenhouse who is commemorated at Fawley, Hampshire was shot down and I have had another conversation with a family relative of the crew who learnt after the war from a former Serviceman in the area that the Whitley crew buried at Fawley All Saints had been in an incident and only just made it back before crashing.

I have the last 16 miles sound track plotted, the height given the Winchester Centre was 10,000 feet, but the plane [later given as a British Plane] lost height and crashed into the Balloon Barrage at Eastleigh 03.30 (RAF 924 Balloon Squadron time); 03.34 hours 35th AA Brigade / 5th Div AA HQ time and 03.35 hrs the Observer Post time.

"Ms" is entered against the C of I number on the Flying Accident Card which meant the Inquiry was "Incomplete".
Cause "F6" meaning "Loss of control after hitting or avoiding obstacles in bad visibility" was ruled out and changed to "F9" meaning "Obscure".
"F8" meaning “Miscellaneous” (was later in 1940, split into F8A - Airframe Defects and F8B - Miscellaneous).
Finally "F4" which meant "Flying into ground, sea or hills in cloud or fog" was given as the primary cause.

These being standard RAF Flying Accident Cause Groupings for analysis purposes by Air Ministry Department S4, "F" meant the accident occurred whilst "In Flight"

It would appear that the Eastleigh Balloon Barrage was being likened to a hill and the cable was struck almost immediately after the Whitley descended out of the cloud base. However, exactly what happened before Eastleigh has been a family mystery for 70 years, the Air Ministry only told the family that they flew up Southampton Water, crossed the coast near Southampton and struck a balloon over Eastleigh, but according to the sound plots they had already crossed the coast and were first plotted near Fareham, by the Observer Post. The Members of the Observer Posts at Havant; Lee on Solent and Marchwood were all called in to the Winchester Centre later in the day.

“Red Flares” a visual sign of an aircraft sending a wireless Distress signal were seen South-east of Sandown, IOW at 03.23 before the crash. Incidentally, the Balloon Barrages were raised at 03.22 hrs. The GPO Log of Casualty Calls indicates Niton received an SOS from an unknown aircraft. The August 1940 Monthly Returns of Distress Broadcasts to aircraft flying over the sea, from the GPO Director of Wireless Telegraphy to the Air Ministry indicates RAF Gosport requested Niton transmit a “Distress Broadcast” to an aircraft. Unfortunately, neither documents note the time, or any details.

The Accident was reported to the AIB (Accidents Investigation Branch) and recorded on their "U" Index which meant that there was either one, or more of the following:
Forced parachute descent
(a) Where a Court of Inquiry is to be convened under KR (Kings Regulations) 1326
(b) where the accident may in the opinion of the CO be due to:-
(i) failure of any part of the aircraft
(ii) a defect in workmanship, design or material
(iii) a part of the aircraft catching fire in the air
(iv) compass defects
(v) any obscure cause

I have tried AVIA 5/19 and 42 and only discovered that the "U" accidents list were investigated by the AIB, a few other examples I found included structural failure, catching fire and one due to bad weather.

Has anyone come across any other information about this incident in their searches at The National Archives, or have any other sources of information please?
Research by Mark R. Hood 2010.
Grandson of the Observer Sgt Hood