Whitley crash - Hastings, Sussex

[Dave Bobbiggles]

Can any one help with details of a Whitley that crashed near Hastings Pier, Sussex?

Thanks for any help!

[Leendert]

Dave,

You probably refer to this crash which I found on epribreren.com:

19-20/06/1940: Wanne-Eickel, D

Type: Whitley Mk.V
Serial number: N1476, KN-?
Operation: Wanne-Eickel
Lost: 20/06/1940
P/O A.W. Dunn
P/O C.D. Montagu
Sgt B.L. Savill Inj
Sgt J.M. Dawson Inj
P/O W.J.Watt
Airborne 2120 19Jun40 from Driffield. attacked by a pair of Me109s (one of which was claimed destroyed by the return fire given) and very severely damaged. A fire in the port engine was extinguished, but this flared up again and P/O Dunn decided to shut down the damaged engine. Following an extrememly arduous flight the Whitley was ditched at 0427 20Jun40 in the sea off Hastings Pier, Sussex. All were rescued, though two airmen required hospital treatment for their injuries. For P/O Dunn this was his fourth crash in five weeks of operational flying.

Regards,

Leendert

[Dave Bobbiggles]

Dear Leendert

Thank you very much, that's exactly what we needed.

Kind regards

Dave

[Larry]

BTW - it was a 77 Sqn aircraft in case you were wondering

[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

[Dave Bobbiggles]

Dear Larry

Thank you very much for confirming that the Whitley was with No. 77 Squadron.

Dear Ross

Thank you very much for the very detailed response. You have answered any possible question I could have regarding this incident.

Thanks once again to all who have helped with my query.

Kind regards

Dave

[Andy Saunders]

Plt Off A W Dunn, Plt Off C J D Montagu and Plt Off L W J Watt were all awarded the DFC for this action. Sgt J M Dawson and (Acting) Sgt B L Savill were all awarded the DFM for the same action.

The aircraft was repeatedly hit by AA fire, then attacked by an Me 109. The first attack disabled the intercom gear and wounded the observer, Sgt Savill and W/Op Sgt Dawson. The rear gunner, Plt Off Watt, delivered a short burst at short range and destroyed the enemy (sic). The crew then went on to bomb target on one engine before turning for home on bearings supplied by the wounded Dawson.

I know some of the rescuers of the crew (think at least two still alive) and have a bundle of target maps the navigator left in the rescue boat.

Feel free to use this information in any caption at your museum, although it is a shame that any visitor who might be interested will be unable to make notes of this should they so wish.

Just to add; Hastings then had its own Police Force (Hastings County Borough) and none of their records survive. The records for the East and West Sussex forces survive, but there is no reference in them to this incident