Date

Location

Force

Aircraft

From-To

Crew

25-01-1942

Sesimbra

RAF     OADU

Vickers Wellington IC   Z9098

Portreath (GB) → Gibraltar

Sgt       Leonard Francis James Harris     GB

F/Sgt    Noel Arnold Graystone                GB †

Sgt       Hugh Berry                                  GB †

Sgt       Thomas Patrick Mcbride              GB †

Sgt       John Kevin Evans                        GB

F/O      Kenneth Duncan Adams               GB †

They flew over the British merchant ship "Loch Oskaig" near Cape Carvoeiro. The ship shot several salvos with their AA guns and hit the aircraft. The pilot tried to land in a beach near Sesimbra but four of the six crewmembers died in the attempt. Evans and Harris where severely wounded and local people put them over some debris and took them to a doctor that gave them the first aid cares.

Latter they were transfered to the British Hospital in Lisbon, where they stayed for five weeks. There they were visited by Portuguese authorities because the aircraft had been sacked.  After being released they went to Caldas da Rainha for mor three weeks of internment. Both arrived in Gibraltar on May 4, 1942. The death are buried in the British Cemetery in Lisbon.

Harris died on March 15, 1943 and is buried in the Durnbach War Cemetery.

Fontes/ Resources:
* Evade & Escape Report - National Archives/ London Kew
* Portreath ORB - National Archives/ London Kew