Havoc I BB900 lost 27 Feb !942

[Andy Saunders]

This aircraft was lost off North Foreland on 27 Feb 1942 with 23 Squadron.

Can anyone tell me the names of the full crew?

I only have Flt Sgt J G Shandley.

[rafcommands]

Hi Andy,

Cannot help with the names but can add the RNLI record of service to the loss:

FEBRUARY 27TH. - MARGATE, KENT.
At 3.40 P.M. an aeroplane crashed in the sea about two miles N.E. of the life-boat station, and life-boatmen standing by at the boat-house saw part of it above water. Seven minutes later the motor life-boat The Lord Southborough (Civil Service No. 1) was launched. A light E. wind was blowing and the sea was smooth. The life-boat found three airmen clinging to two rubber dinghies, rescued them and gave them brandy. She then searched for a missing sergeant gunner, but could not find him, and returned to her station at 4.35 P.M. Two air-sea rescue boats also searched, but the missing man was not found. - Rewards, £7 12s.
(Source: RNLI Records of Service 1939-46)

Regards
Ross

[paulmcmillan]

Your 1000 (and thne 1001) Posting Andy!!!

According to Orb

27.2.1942

"P/O Offord an (sic) a practice flight from Manston, forced landing in the sea after one engine had failed. The Squadron recorded with regret the loss of F/Sgt Shandley, the Observer of this aircraft, who had served in this Squadron for a year and completed twent-one (sic) operational sorties. The rest of the crew escaped safely

Unfortuatley, the crew list is not published because it was a training flght

[Andy Saunders]

Ross/Paul

Thank you both, hugely!

I hope in my 1,000 posts I have managed to have at least some useful input as well as having gratefully received a good deal in return - for which I am always most grateful.

Here is BB900, the subject of this post. Shandley is in the turret.

[paulmcmillan]

Shandley always flew with Sgt Angus on Havocs, with various other pilots - As Offord new on Sqn in Dec 1941 and theire previous pilot S/Ldr Barker was posted out soon after . I would suggest he was on the crew , no idea on othr crewman - but as practice as as far as I can see Offord no operational missions - maybe another pilot. Havocs usually had 3 crew for operations