Date

Location

Force

Aircraft

From-To

Crew

13-07-1941

Esposende (no mar/on the sea)

RAF    OADU                                        

Vickers Wellington IC  Z8780

Portreath (GB) → Gibraltar

Sgt.     William Bernard Oakes       GB †

Sgt.     Henry Gerald Peel              Canada †

Sgt.     Colin James Dixon              GB †

Sgt.     Trevor Vaughan Davies       GB †

Sgt.     Derek Cecil Haynes            GB †

Sgt.     Stephen Thomas Mcneil     Canada †

The plane was seen by the population of Esposende in flames before crashing into the sea where it sank completely destroyed.

Remains of the dismembered crew were collected in the following days and gathered at the local fire station. What was found fit into a coffin that was buried in St. James cemetery, in oporto, in a single grave.

The funeral was attended by Allied officers and an honor guard was formed by Portuguese forces.

Fontes/ Resources:
* “Aviões da Cruz de Cristo” – Mário Cannongia Lopes
* Documentação diversa do RAF Museum através de Mário Canongia Lopes
*Commonwealth War Graves Commission
*Ian Garth