Whitley crash - Hastings, Sussex

[rafcommands]

Dave,

Here is the full detail from the ORB and the RNLI service reports which give a better position.

"Ditched 04:27.
P/O Dunn encountered intense AA fire on the way to the target which caused him to turn north and endeavour to go round it.
On making his run up the target he was attacked by two Me109s from astern which scored many hits on his aircraft also wounding the observer and the front gunner.
It was a bright moonlight night and consequently on its second attack one of the Me109s was easily seen by the rear gunner P/O Watt who fired a long burst at it as it passed under the Whitley's tail, it was then seen by P/O Dunn to be going down obviously out of control on its back.
In spite of this opposition the target was attacked from 8,000 ft and fires were started at a Blast Furnace.
During the return journey the port engine, which had been damaged by machine gun fire caught fire, but the crew managed to put it out, a second time it caught fire, and P/O Dunn decided to stop it which he did.
They were then nearing the Dutch coast on the return journey, on one engine, and P/O Dunn asked his crew if they wished to abandon aircraft or attempt the sea crossing on one engine - they all chose the latter course and came across at 400 ft finally landing in the sea off Hastings Pier where they were rescued."
AIR27/655

"Hastings, Sussex.
At 04:25 in the morning of the 20th June 1940, a British aeroplane came down in the sea about three quarters of a mile from Hastings Pier. The sea was calm and the weather clear. Police and others went out in three boats and rescued the five men of the crew a few minutes before the aeroplane sank.
Rewards: £2 10s.

June 20th - Hastings, Sussex.
An aeroplane had come down in the sea but small boats gave all the help needed.
Rewards: £20 5s 9d."
(Source: Supplement to Annual Reports of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution 1939-46)

Sussex police archives are held in the county library (Lewes?) last time I accessed them I needed written permission but for the multiple B17 ditching on the same day they contained good detail and approx map references for each ditching. There may be similar detail for this loss.

Regards
Ross