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| SERIAL |
VARIANT |
SQUADRON |
ARRIVED |
DEPARTED |
NOTES |
| D8775 |
|
15 OTU |
12.07.41 |
|
Crashed on take-off from Luqa. Seven casualties. |
| D9277 |
|
15 OTU |
|
17.06.41 |
Crashed in sea on ferry to Egypt, 2 missing, three survivors. |
| K3293 |
|
15 OTU |
16.06.41 |
|
Aircraft crashed in sea off Malta. Five known casualties, one missing, presumed dead. |
| N2818/E |
Ic |
3 Group Training Flight |
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Aircraft departed the UK for Malta on 07.04.41, but crashed 4km south of the village of Ain Amara, 6km east of Ras el Akba, Algeria. Six fatalities.
Two factors were judged to have led to this accident.
Main cause of accident was deemed to be adverse atmospheric conditions. Unable to see the ground, the pilot descended with his landing lights on, as well as reducing engine power. On seeing the ground he opened up the throttles again and pulled again, but would appear that he did not see a knoll (or mound) situated between two hills, into which he crashed, destroying the aircraft, and killing all on board.
The “youthfulness” of the crew, the average age of the crew being 19.5 years. The chief pilot only had 160 hours, and had received his pilots’ certificate the previous October.
The crew were buried at Guelma on the 9th. The Funeral service was attended by Captain de Grivel, representing the General Commanding of the Air Forces in Algeria, the Major Commanding the 3rd Tirafleurs at Guelma, the Major of Guelma and other civil and military personalities.
The Commanding Officer at Guelma requested the refund of 80 litres of petrol use in three journeys by light cars in relation to this accident. This was to be refunded by the Air Command.
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| R1246 |
|
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11.12.41 |
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One of four aircraft approaching Malta from Gibraltar for onward delivery to Egypt. The aircraft were attacked by CR.42s from Pantelleria. |
| R1250 |
|
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11.12.41 |
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One of four aircraft approaching Malta from Gibraltar for onward delivery to Egypt. The aircraft were attacked by CR.42s from Pantelleria. |
| R1385 |
|
3 Group Training Squadron |
|
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Aircraft failed to arrive at Malta on 04.02.41, but from which direction (from Gibraltar or the Middle East) is unknown. Six crew missing. |
| T2873 |
|
214 |
|
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Aircraft had departed Gibraltar for Malta on 21.11.40 on a delivery flight to the ME, but was forced to came down south of Noto * due to engine trouble. Five crew, 2 passengers PoW’s. One of the passengers was Air Marshall Owen Tuder Boyd.
* Noto located roughly half-way between Siracusa and Capo Passero. According to an interrogation of Italian crew rescued from an SM.79 by British forces in Malta, the Wellington had landed safely, with the crew destroying the aircraft.
According to an intercepted Italian newspaper report, from Il Progresso Italo-Americano ** (The Italian American Progressive) dated 22nd November 1940, claimed that “no sooner did Boyd land, then he took out his revolver, and before he could be stopped, fired several shots into the carburettor, firing the machine.”
** Il Progresso Italo-Americano was a daily Italian newspaper published in New York, which sympathised with Italy’s fascist government.
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| T2894 |
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28.11.40 |
Aircraft didn’t reach destination after departing Malta. 6 casualties. |
| W5559 |
II |
15 OTU |
30.08.41 |
|
Aircraft was in transit to the Middle East via Malta. Shot down in flames by CR.42s off Lampedusa, six fatalities. One crewman’s body was recovered off Lampedusa and buried at sea.
Before the attack, the flight saw a north bound Italian convoy, with an RO.44 fighter seaplane flying overhead. It was probably this seaplane which reported the Wellingtons to the CR.42s.
Another Wellington was damaged as it climbed to 5,000 ft in order to use cloud cover. |
| W5568 |
|
15 OTU |
30.08.41 |
|
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| W5569 |
II |
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29.08.41 |
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Aircraft, in transit to the Middle East, was involved in a landing accident at Gibraltar. Causes were the throttles jamming at 1,700 rpm, and failure of the V.C.G. hydraulic pump, which meant flaps could only be lowered down to 20 degrees. One fatality, two slight and one serious injury. Three escaped injuries, although had a slight scratch. |
| W5571 |
II |
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24.07.42 |
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This was one of four Wellingtons in transit from the UK to the Middle East via Malta. Departed Gibraltar for Malta, but was forced to return to Gibraltar, presumably because of mechanical problems. Eventual movements of this aircraft after this date unknown. |
| W5584 |
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15 OTU |
30.08.41 |
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| W5596 |
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OADU |
11.09.41 |
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Lost en route between RAF Hampstead Norris and Malta. Six crew missing believed killed. |
| W5597 |
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15 OTU |
30.08.41 |
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| W5644 |
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3 Group Training Flight |
15.03.41 |
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Aircraft was expected to land at Malta at 06:00 GMT, but crew sent a signal at 05:45 that they were being attacked. Judging by the time when the signal was sent and that nothing further was heard from the crew indicates that the aircraft had been shot down. Destination of aircraft appears to have been Malta, not the Middle East. |
| W5677/J |
Ic |
57 |
|
10.04.41 |
Aircraft departed Malta at 21:32 hrs bound for the Middle East. It carried six crew and General Carton De Wiart, V.C. Communications with the aircraft were lost after take-off, and it never made it to its destination, crashing near Appollania, North Africa. All seven men were captured and became PoW’s, but later were split up in different groups.
The website https://57squadron.wordpress.com/ wellington-era-1940-1942/, has the following to say about this incident.
During the day on 24 April the squadron learned with sadness that F/O Bridger and crew in Wellington W5677 had not made it to the Middle East and had crashed near Apollonia in North Africa on 10 April. A passenger aboard their aircraft was Major General Carton de Wiart VC CBE CB CMG DSO. Having refuelled at Malta both engines later seized while off the coast of Libya, Bridger crash landed in the water and the entire crew and their passenger entered Italian captivity.
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| X3211 |
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15 OTU |
20.06.41 |
|
Aircraft force landed on the beach of Viano Lena Castel, Portugal due to electrical storms in the area. Pilot had lost his way, and was running low on fuel. All crewmen survived, who destroyed the aircraft by burning it. Initially interned in Portugal, but appeared in Gibraltar on 07.07.41.
Courtesy of www.portugal1939-1945.org has the following information and is being reproduced with kind permission.
Landed because of bad weather. They had communication failures and also problems with the compass. After many manoeuvres trying to find the way they had to land because of fuel shortage. Toshack, Bold, Sheridan and Poole disappeared on August 23, 1941 when flying with 38 Squadron and are remembered in the Malta Memorial. |
| X9689 |
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OADU |
29.07.41 |
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Aircraft was inbound from Gibraltar. An SOS message sent by the crew stated that the aircraft had lost its starboard propeller. Aircraft never made it to Malta. |
| X9912 |
Ic |
40 |
24.10.41 |
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Aircraft departed from RAF Alconbury in England at 21:20 hrs on a transit flight to Malta. At 07:00, an S.O.S. “for petrol” was received, but nothing else after message .
They crashed in the sea for unknown reasons, one crew member surviving, and the body of another was picked from the sea. Nothing about the remaining 8 members.
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| X9974 |
Ic |
40 |
26.10.41 |
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Aircraft, departing from Hampstead Norris for Malta, crashed during take-off. A total of ten fatalities, as the aircraft was carrying passengers. |
| X9991 |
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44 Group |
04.11.41 |
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Arrived in Malta on ferry to the Middle East. Crashed on landing at Luqa, Malta. One injury. |
| Z1040 |
Ic |
15 OTU |
03.11.41 |
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Aircraft went missing between Gibraltar and Malta. The captain sent a request for a bearing to the island at 06:18 GMT. At 07:06, he again sent a message requesting an escort, but also reported he was having trouble with his receiver set. Two formations of two Hurricanes each were scrambled to assist the Wellington crew, but were unable to make contact, despite flying a distance of 65 miles.
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| Z8330 |
|
15 OTU |
30.08.41 |
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| Z8335 |
|
Harwell Delivery Flight |
|
22.09.41 |
Failed to arrive on a ferry flight from Malta to RAF Missile East Command. 7 crew missing, believed dead. |
| Z8347 |
|
15 OTU |
30.08.41 |
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| Z8353/W |
II |
|
30.09.41 |
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One of five Wellingtons on a delivery flight to the Middle East. The formation had left Gibraltar for Malta. Between Cap Rocks and Cape Bon, they ran into heavy rain and low clouds with a base of 4,000ft. Descending from 10,000 to below cloud base, the aircraft wasn’t seen again. It was heard by one of the other four aircraft contacting Malta for a frequency check, but didn’t acknowledge, which indicated that his receiver wasn’t on the proper frequency. Two of the Wellingtons, coded “B” and “C”, orbited over the area but couldn’t see any trace of the aircraft. All four aircraft landed safely at Luqa.
The aircraft had in fact crash in the sea, one crew member being killed in the process. The remaining 5 men survived, and landed by dinghy at Hegla, Tunisia, were they were interred. Although uninjured, the men were suffering from exposure. |
| Z8432 |
1C |
OADU |
23.11.41 |
|
Aircraft departed RAF Portreath for Gibraltar on delivery to the Middle East. Pilot began to experience rising temperature on the port engine being forced to shut it down. Unable to maintain height on one engine, despite throwing out all unnecessary freight. Pilot, realising he would be unable to reach Gibraltar, decided to divert to Lisbon, landing at Portela da Sacavem.
Having maintained contact with Gibraltar, the crew were initially advised not to destroy the aircraft, although all paper work was burnt after landing. The crew, till in contact with “Gib” were ow ordered to destroy the aircraft. All six crew safe, later repatriated back to the UK. |
| Z8504 |
II |
OADU |
19.01.42 |
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Aircraft departed Portreath for the Middle East. Aircraft and crew missing, cause/s unknown. At least three fatalities, and according to a report from the American Consulate in Algiers, the body of one crewman was washed ashore at the beach of Capeivi, near Mostaganem.
A report from a crewman who became a PoW, stated that the aircraft suffered instrument failure after leaving Gibraltar, but the pilot refused to turn back. After around two hours, one engine failed. Apparently, the wireless operators hadn’t even sent an S.O.S. He made a pancake landing in the water “like a ton of bricks, as he was off colour the entire trip”, the survivors spending 7 days and eight nights in a dinghy in very rough seas.
One crewman died either during the crash or was unable to exit the aircraft and drowned with it. Another two crewman died during time they were in the dinghy.
Additional information about this accident can be found at this website. |
| Z8730 |
|
15 OTU |
|
01.07.41 |
Crew left Malta at 20:13 hours, but never reached its destination in the Middle East. 7 crew missing, presumed dead. |
| Z8773 |
|
OADU |
02.08.41 |
|
Aircraft went missing on a flight between Gibraltar and Malta. Five missing, one survivor injured. |
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| SERIAL |
VARIANT |
SQUADRON |
ARRIVED |
DEPARTED |
NOTES |
| Z8952 |
Ic |
OADU |
21.02.42 |
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Ditched in sea off the Sicilian coast during transit flight from Gibraltar. 6 casualties. |
| Z8989/F |
|
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15.11.41 |
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One of three Wellingtons on delivery, they were engaged by CR.42s that were escorting Ju-52s, 25 miles south west of Pantalleria at around 14:00hrs GMT. This aircraft was shot down, although the crew survived, escaping into the aircraft’s dinghy, which was found by search aircraft at 16:05hrs, and picked up by high speed launch at 16:45hrs. One slight injury. Other two Wellingtons landed safely in Malta. |
| Z8990 |
|
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03.11.41 |
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It is presumed that this aircraft made it safely to Malta. It may have been in the same formation as that of Z1040 mentioned further up in this page. |
| Z9038 |
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15 OTU |
11.12.41 |
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Aircraft was on a delivery flight to the Middle East. Attacked by 4 Italian CR-42s, 15 miles from East Cape Bon. Italians did not press home the attack, allowing the Wellington crew to continue to Malta. Minor damage to the aircraft, and two injuries. Departure from Malta unknown. |
| Z9043 |
Ic |
15 OTU |
16.01.42 |
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Aircraft crashed in the sea on a flight from Gibraltar to Malta. Six missing believed killed. |
| Z9097 |
|
OADU |
27.02.42 |
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Aircraft departed Gibraltar for Malta in darkness, but never arrived. Six fatalities. No technical problems were reported when the aircraft landed at Gibraltar.
In 1944, information was received that five unknown airmen were buried at Pantalleria civil cemetery. They were recovered from an aircraft that had crashed on 28th Feb. 1942. Whether the aircraft had suffered technical problems, or had been shot down, is unknown. |
| Z9101 |
IV |
15 OTU |
|
09.01.42 |
Aircraft appears to have caught fire, and crashed into the sea, 1000 yards south of Europa Point, Gibraltar after taking off from that station for Malta. Three lost at sea, two buried in Spain and Algeria, one crew member safe. |
| AD635 |
I |
Ferry Flight |
16.02.42 |
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Aircraft on a transit flight to the Middle East. The remains of the aircraft were found in the mountains near the village of Kef Oum Teboul 12 km from the Algerian/Tunisian border. The aircraft probably ran into a mountain during a snow storm. Six fatalities. |
| BB475 |
Ic |
99 |
27.02.42 |
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Aircraft came down in the water in the straits of Messina, crew becoming PoWs. Cause for the aircraft coming down not known. |
| BB511 |
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21 OTU |
30.03.42 |
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Aircraft crashed on delivery from Gibraltar. Six crew missing, believed dead. |
| DV___ |
IC |
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22.04.22 |
Departed Malta for the Middle East but reported being lost. Six crew missing believed killed. |
| DV416 |
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15 OTU |
28.12.41 |
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Aircraft was on a delivery flight from Gibraltar, but owing to bad weather and radio failure, the crew were unable to locate Malta. Running short of fuel, the crew were forced to land in Sicily near Ragusa. Six crew PoW. |
| DV417 |
Ic |
|
09.10.42 |
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In transit from the UK to the Middle East, but failed to show up at Malta from Gibraltar. Six crew missing. |
| DV458 |
Ic |
21 OTU |
17.02.42 |
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Aircraft crashed at Garaet Ackel Lake near Ferryville, Tunisia during a ferry flight from Gibraltar to Malta. |
| DV497 |
Ic |
15 OTU |
17.02.42 |
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Ditched in sea off the Sicilian coast during transit flight Gibraltar to Middle East. 6 crew became pows. |
| DV510 |
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99 |
27.02.41 |
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Aircraft crashed in the sea near Sicily during a delivery flight to Malta. Six crew members pow. |
| DV519 |
Ic |
1 OADU |
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05.04.42 |
Collided with the wreckage of a Wellington at the side of the runway while taking off at 01:12 on delivery to the Middle East and was burnt out. One pilot was injured. |
| DV548 |
IC |
15 OTU |
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22.04.42 |
Departed Malta for the ME with Wellington HF849. Aircraft failed to arrive at its destination. Six crew missing, presumed dead. |
| DV656 |
|
OTU Harwell |
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24.04.42 |
Aircraft departed from Malta for Egypt and was initially reported missing, but later both aircraft and crew were discovered to be safe. |
| HE122 |
Ic |
OADU |
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Aircraft lost during transit flight from UK to Middle East, coming down 10 miles west of Centre de Guertoufa (near Tiaret) on 27.11.42. Four casualties, one survivor seriously injured. |
| HF849 |
Ic |
15 OTU |
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22.04.22 |
Aircraft arrived with Wellington DV548 from the UK en route to the Middle East. Departed Malta, but never reached its destination. It was carrying three passengers in addition to the 6-man crew, all missing, presumed dead. |
| HF887 |
Ic |
148 |
07.12.42 |
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Aircraft was arriving on detachment to Luqa from No. 2 Middle East Training School, with a total of twelve people on board. According to the pilot’s report, he was slightly to the left of the flare path, and opened the throttles, but the nose of the aircraft immediately pointed straight upwards, even though the pilot was pushing the control column fully forward, so he cut the throttles, which was the last thing he remembered before the crash. The cause of this accident was deemed to be uneven weight distribution, upsetting the trim of the aircraft when the throttles were reduced for landing. Four fatalities. |
| HF919 |
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15 OTU |
31.05.42 |
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Aircraft accident at Luqa during a transit flight from RAF Harwell. |
| HX369 |
|
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30.05.42 |
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Aircraft crashed near Licata, Sicily on a delivery flight from Gibraltar to Malta. All crew survived without injury. Crew included a Swedish national. All became PoWs. |
| HX446 |
Ic |
|
24.07.42 |
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Arrived from Gibraltar in transit to the Middle East. Departure date unknown. |
| HX485 |
VIII |
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24.07.42 |
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Arrived from Gibraltar in transit to the Middle East. Departure date unknown. |
| HX489 |
VIII |
3 OTU |
24.07.42 |
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Aircraft failed to reach Malta from Gibraltar on delivery to the Middle East. An SOS message was received 4 hours after departure from Gibraltar, but nothing else was heard after that. The pilot was considered to be quite experienced with over 200 hours on Wellingtons. Six fatalities.
A total of four Wellington aircraft departed from Gibraltar on this day, the other three being W5571, HX446 and HX485. HX489 being the third to depart from Gibraltar |
| HX507 |
|
458 |
06.11.42 |
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Aircraft was lost during a transit flight from the Middle East to Malta. Crew all Australian. |
| HX515 |
|
OADU |
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Aircraft crashed in sea off Malta on 03.08.42 for unknown reasons. Six crew members. |
| HX680 |
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1446 Flight, 1 OADU |
10.10.42 |
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Aircraft departed RAF Portreath for Gibraltar. Aircraft went missing, but 7 crew members safe, interned in Arzila, Morocco. It is presumed that aircraft would have landed at Malta, perhaps continuing to the Middle East. |
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