13 May 1941

Bristol Blenheim Mk IV (V6430 - code UX-?)
Off la Baule-Escoublac (44)
(contributors : Vincent Sévellec, France-Crashes 39-45).

Blenheim Mark IV of no 82 Squadron of the RAF in 1940
Photo source unknown

Crew (no 82 Squadron RAF) :

- Squadron Leader (pilot) George Stephen KING - 33 years old, RAF, killed (service number 27107)
Son of Robert Owen and Frances King, husband of Margaret Eleanor King, Bedford (England). 
British military cemetary La Baule-Escoublac (44)

- Sergeant (observer) Joseph Eckersley AUSTEN-JOHNSON - 21 years old, RAF Volunteer Reserve, killed (service number 908839)
Son of Joseph Frederick and May Austen-Johnson, Westminster, London (England). 
British military cemetary La Baule-Escoublac (44)

- Sergeant (wireless operator and gunner) Denison OWEN - 19 years old, RAF, MIA (service number 640901)
Son of Denison and Edith Boaler Owen, Sheffield (England). 
Memorial Runnymede, Panel 49 (England)

THE STORY

On May 13, 1941, the Blenheim V6430 took off at 8:07 a.m. from RAF base Portreath, Cornwall for a mission over the port facilities of Saint-Nazaire. The circumstances of the aircraft's disappearance are unknown but two bodies were washed up by the sea and buried in La Baule-Escoublac cemetery.

IN MEMORIAM

The graves of  Squadron Leader George Stephen KING and Sergeant Joseph Eckersley AUSTEN-JOHNSON at La Baule-Escoublac british military cemetery (44).

Photos Benoît Paquet - ABSA 39-45

APPENDICES

♦ Operational Record Book of no 82 Squadron for May 1941 (AIR 27/681) : this report states on its first page that 13 aircraft left RAF Bodney for Portreath to conduct operations, and that the weather was cloudy with a light haze. On its second page, we read that two crews failed to return, including that of Wing Commander KING. Note that KING is designated as Wing Commander and not Squadron Leader, and that the aircraft is indicated with the number 5824 when in reality the number is 6430 (frequent error in ORBs).
(source documents  : The National Archives)