13 August, 1943

Vickers WELLINGTON Mk X
HF483 (code AS-S)
At sea, 400 m from the coast of Beg-Meil
(contributors : Daniel Dahiot, Philippe Dufrasne, Dominique Godde, France Crashes 39-45, " Remember our fallen " on Findagrave)

A Wellington Mk X of the RAF
Image © Nigel Curtis

Crew (No 166 Squadron RAF)

- Flying Officer (pilot) William Bryden McGINN (service number 128888, RAF VR) 20 years old, killed.
Son of Peter and Janet Lindsay McGINN, of Irvine, Ayrshire (England).
Body recovered on August 31, 1943 - Fouesnant Cemetery.

- Sergeant (navigator) Raymond HADLEY (service number 658149, RAF), 23 years old, killed.
Son of Herschel and Sarah Margaret HADLEY, husband of Kathleen Mary HADLEY, from Liverpool (England).
Body recovered on August 30, 1943 - Fouesnant Cemetery.

- Pilot Officer (bomb aimer) Ivor Rees LEWIS (service number 139836, RAF VR), 20 years old, killed.
Body washed ashore the morning of the crash - Fouesnant Cemetery.

- Sergeant (wireless operator, air gunner) George Ian TURNBULL (service number 1131177, RAF VR), 28 years old, killed.
Son of Arthur and Annie TURNBULL, from Hessie, Yorkshire (England).
Tregunc cemetery.

- Sergeant (air gunner) Ronald HENSHAW (service number 1311513, RAF VR), 23 years old, missing.
Son of James and Blanche HENSHAW, from Oxton, Cheshire (England).
Runnymede Memorial (England), panel # 153
He reportedly survived, was taken into German care the morning of the crash,
was taken away in an ambulance, and then nothing more was seen of him..

THE STORY

We have little information about the history of this aircraft. Vickers Wellington Mk X HF483 took off at 8:57 PM from RAF Kirmington in Lincolnshire (east coast of England). HF483 took off with seven other Wellingtons for a mine-laying mission off Lorient (" Gardening ") but was the only aircraft that failed to return. The takeoffs of the eight aircraft were staggered between 8:49 PM and 8:58 PM on August 12^th. The seven aircraft that returned landed at base between 2:20 AM and 2:45 AM on August 13^th. The Operational Report Book (ORB) of No. 166 Squadron (see appendices) states: " Nothing was heard of this aircraft [HF483] after takeoff, but it is suspected that it is the one seen to be shot down by light flak."

IN MEMORIAM 
♦ Graves of three of the four crew members in the Fouesnant municipal cemetery (29)

The graves of the 3 airmen are side by side.
Photo ABSA 39-45 (Benoît Paquet collection) 

Grave of Pilot Officer LEWIS.
Photo ABSA 39-45 (Benoît Paquet collection) 

Grave of Flying Officer McGINN.
Photo ABSA 39-45 (Benoît Paquet collection)

Grave of Sergeant HADLEY.
Photo ABSA 39-45 (Benoît Paquet collection)

♦ Grave of Sergeant George Ian TURNBULL in the Trégunc municipal cemetery (29)

Source L.K.S. - Website Findagrave

♦ Panel 153 at the Runnymede Memorial (England) bearing the name of Sergeant Ronald HENSHAW 

Source " Remember our Fallen " on Website Findagrave

APPENDICES 
Extract from document AIR-27-1089-16 and AIR-27-1089-17 (Operational Record Book no 166 Squadron RAF) for the date of August 13, 1943
(source The National Archives)