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Sunderland flying boat W3986 exploded four miles north west of the Eddystone after leaving Plymouth Sound on patrol.

Types

Short Sunderland Mk III

History

Sunderland Mk III flying boat W3986 RB-U from 10 Squadron RAAF at Mount Batten took off from Plymouth Sound on the morning of 20th May 1943 heading for a patrol area in the Bay of Biscay.  About 12 minutes after take-off, the Rame Head coastguard reported seeing a flash then heard an explosion approximately four miles north west off Eddystone Lighthouse at 0520 hours.  A destroyer and a pinnace from Mount Batten were sent out to the area and later that afternoon the destroyer found wreckage including floats thought to be from the Sunderland. Half an hour later the bodies of two crew members, Sergeants Dewhurst and Owen, were recovered from the sea by the pinnace.  Nothing else was discovered.

Inquest decided most probable cause was lighting the pressure stove on board the aircraft before the cabin had been fully ventilated of petrol fumes.  Sunderland aircraft often had petrol fumes in the cabin after take-off due to surplus fuel in the mainplane, the fumes would ignite when the galley pressure stove was lit if the aircraft had not been properly ventilated.

The RAAF crew lost in the crash were:

Flt Lt Saunders, D Captain (Pilot) (401836)
FO Patston, V J (1st Pilot) (412831)
FO Smith, G L T (2nd Pilot) (405524)
FO Cleland, W R (Navigator) (415006)
Sgt P McCombie, (Flight Engineer) (32523)
Flt Sgt N D Pollock, (Wireless Air Gunner) (409741)
Sgt E Dewhurst, (Air Gunner) (32960)
Sgt N J Owen, (WWM/Air Gunner) (32847)
Sgt R W B Dowell, (Fitter 11E) (5933)
Sgt G M Walker, (WMM) (17645)
Sgt R S Moore, (Fitter 11A) (20127)
Sgt I Hunter, (Air Gunner) (19070)

Sgt Dewhurst and Sgt Owen are buried in the Efford Cemetery in Plymouth.  All the other crew members have no known grave, and their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Runnymede.

Location

The aircraft crashed four miles north west off Eddystone Lighthouse.  The remains of this aircraft have not been located.

Please note that all aircraft in UK waters that have crashed during military service are protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.

Last updated 13 Feb 2022

Position GPS: Unknown