Date: 11th October 1940
Unit: No.10 O.T.U.
Type: Whitley V
Serial: N1526
Code: -Y
Location: Near R.A.F. Akeman Street, Relief Landing Ground Oxfordshire
Pilot: F/L J E Riepenhausen (Killed)
Pilot: P/O L F East D.F.M. (Instructor) (Killed)
Co. Pilot: Sgt W R Small (Killed)
W/Op: Sgt J Fletcher (Killed)
W/Op/A/G: Sgt P P McKee (Killed)
W/Op/A/G: Sgt F D Phoenix (Killed)
REASON FOR LOSS:
Whitley V N1526 took-off from R.A.F. Abingdon for a night flying exercise. At circa 2300hrs the aircraft was reported to have crashed near Akeman Street, R.A.F. Reserve Landing Ground, Oxfordshire. It is believed the accident was caused by a large area of fabric stripping from the mainplanes. P/O East had served with No. 78 Squadron; his D.F.M. award being Gazetted eleven days after his death. A few weeks previous he had displayed airmanship of the highest order when he forced-landed a Whitley (without damage, or hurt to its crew) in a field near St. Neots.
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mark V, N1526 'Y' of No. 10 Operational Training Unit based at Abingdon, Berkshire, photographed flying over Blenheim Palace, near Woodstock, Oxfordshire some months prior to the crash. (I.W.M.)
(Left to right) The graves of Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) James Eric Riepenhausen (Christine Hough) and Sergeant (W.Op) Frederick Douglas Phoenix (Richard Minshull)
Burial details:
Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) James Eric Riepenhausen 39127 R.A.F. (Age 28) Burial: Flaybrick Hill Cemetery Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, Sec. 8. C. of E. Grave 182. Son of James and Helen Hogarth Riepenhausen, of Birkenhead.
Pilot Officer (Pilot) Louis Frank East 44631 R.A.F. D.F.M. (Age 28) Burial: Townshend Cemetery, Cornwall, England Row W. Grave 4. Son of Louis and Beatrice Lilian East; Husband of Lucy East, of Townshend.
Sergeant (Pilot) William Raymond Small 754430 R.A.F.V.R. Burial: East London Cemetery Plaistow, Greater London, England Square 30.Grave 37257.
Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) John Fletcher 548378 R.A.F. (Age 22) Burial: Manchester Southern Cemetery Sec. U. C. of E. Grave 1534. Son of William and Florence Fletcher, of Manchester.
Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Patrick Percy McKee R.A.F. (Age 21) Burial: Our Lady and St Edmund, Roman Catholic, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England Grave 4. Son of Percy and Eleanor C. McKee, of Worthing, Sussex.
Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) Frederick Douglas Phoenix 971265 R.A.F.V.R. (Age 22) Burial: Flaybrick Hill Cemetery Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, England Sec.10. C. of E. Grave 304A. Son of Joseph Frederick and Margaret Phoenix, of Meols, Hoylake.
Page researched and constructed by David King, thanks to Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses", C.W.G.C., and I.W.M.