Halifax BB314 B.Mk.II - Convoy Patrol Bay of Biscay France - 1943-03-22 to 1943-03-22
Squadron: 502 (CS) Sqn (RAF)
Start Date: 1943-03-22
Completion Date: 1943-03-22
Mission: Convoy Patrol
Operation: unspecified
Target City: Bay of Biscay France
Target Specific: anti-submarine
Base: RAF Holmsley South
Take Off Time: 04:35:00
Squadron Code: V9-B
Radio Code:
Return Base:
Return Time:
Crash City: Bay of Biscay
Crash Specifics: roughly 400 nautical miles west of Brest, France
Crash Latitude: 0.00000000
Crash Longitude: 0.00000000
Crash Reason: flak
Flak Battery: German U-boat U-338
Enemy Claim:
War Diary Unavailable
6 Group Unavailable

502 Squadron (Coastal Command)(Nihil timeo) RAF Holmsley South. Halifax B Mk II aircraft BB 314 V9-B, on convoy escort/anti-submarine patrol in the Bay of Biscay (North-Eastern Atlantic Ocean) caught U-boat U-338 by surprise on the surface about 400 miles West of Brest, France. The Halifax went in to attack, U-338 returned defensive fire and shot the BB 314 down. Only one crew member survived the crash to be taken as Prisoner of War

Warrant Officer Class 2 Peter Shmigelsky (RCAF), Pilot Officer John Standish Henderson (RAAF), Sergeant Stanley Ellam (RAFVR), Sergeant Harry Hope (RAFVR), Flying Officer Leslie John McCullock (RAF), Sergeant Leslie Shepherd (RAFVR) and Pilot Officer Adam Joseph Stuart (RAFVR) were all missing, presumed killed in action

The missing have no known grave but all are commemorated on the Runnymede War Memorial

The Flight Engineer, Sergeant Harold Cameron Taylor (RAAF) survived, was rescued from a dinghy by U338 and became a Prisoner of War

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