Blenheim Loss 11 Aug 40

[Chris Goss]

On the above date, a 53 Sqn Blenheim was shot down by I/JG 52. Any ideas as to where it crashed as one crew evaded, one missing and one died (and is buried between Boulogne & Calais) and no accurate location is given (likewise the German claim doesn't say land or sea)

[Ex Shack]

Hi Chris
The nearest to a location comes from Ross McNeill's Coastal Command Losses Vol 1 where he records that the gunner P/O G M Bardolph was wounded and died of his wounds on 17/8/40, in the German Military Hospital at Chateau-des-Domaines,Hardinghen,and was buried in the local churchyard in Hardinghen,Pas-de-Calais.
Warner also has this loss in "Blenheim" without a location and he records the pilot P/O P Coleman as captured.
Both sources seem to imply that the a/c was lost at sea or very close to the coast in water.
Regards
Dick

[Chris Goss]

P J Coleman doesn't figure on the POW List or as a casualty on the CWGC site. Reason why I ask is I have a cine film from a pilot of I/JG 52 which shows a burning aircraft on the ground, a chap in a parachute, the victorious German pilot and then the aircrew visiting the crash site near Calais. Mindful that the chap who took the film was POW in Oct 40, 11 Aug is the only possible match and the 2 Spits claimed that day came down in the sea

[Ex Shack]

If the burning a/c is on the ground then there is the question of what happened to Sgt I Inskip(3rd crew member) who has no known grave. The combination of an evader/POW, a man who died of wounds in German hands, and one missing and on Runnymede is what tended me to think of coming down in the sea or close inshore as the fate of T1816, when Warner states simply FTR and Ross McNeill says missing off the coast of France. My only POW list is that on Ross' rafcommands site and Coleman doesn't appear.
Regards
Dick

[rafcommands]

Hi Chris,

The actual detail for T1816 from my files is:

11/08/40

53 Sqn

PZ-K

P/O P J Coleson
Sgt I Inskip
P/O G M Bardolph

Op Dundee 2, Detling, Time Up:10:24

Missing off the coast of France. Sgt Inskip has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. P/O Bardolph, a Canadian from Vernon, was severely wounded and died from his wounds in the German Military Hospital at Château-des-Domaines, Hardinghen on the 17th August. He is buried in Hardinghen Churchyard, Pas-de-Calais.

Coleson (42695) not Coleman was the evader.

Regards
Ross

[Ex Shack]

Ross
Were you aware that Coleman is what is in Vol 1 of your book?
Regards
Dick

[rafcommands]

Yes. thats why I gave the corrected info from my files.

Time and research move on but published accounts remain pickled in aspic.

Ross

[Brian]

I like that Ross - very true!

Cheers
Brian

[Chris Goss]

Solved it! A report which has come my way says that a French fireman reported the Blenheim crashing on land at Moulin Rouge, Calais and that 2 crew were taken POW. One of the crew was badly wounded and had a suspect fractured skull. It would therefore appear that Coleson escaped from captivity, not evaded but the mystery of Inskip still remains unless he went in with the plane. Any ideas as to Moulin Rouge? Map ref was B1G87