REASON FOR LOSS:

This aircraft took-off from Upwood for a navigation exercise; Base - Lundy Island - Exmouth - Base. At 1223, while flying at 20.00 feet, the pilot radioed "breaking up" and soon afterwards eyewitneaaes saw the Blenheim falling in a series of uneven rolls and slowly disintegrating. The main debris fell into the tinplate works area at Cwmafan, 8 miles east south east of Swansea. All three crew were pitched from the aircraft, Sgt. Bain parachuting virtually unscathed. His crew were not so fortunate.; Sqt. Wheeler is buried in Bushey (St. James) Churchyard, Sec. R. Grave 21. while AC2 Boulton was taken to Hatfield (Woodhouse) Cemetery, near Doncaster. Row L. Grave 48.

Police Report:

BRISTOL BLENHEIM  L9172  -  CWMAFAN
D/D CON 295/3/8   Cwmafan Police Station Occurrence Books ( near Port Talbort South Wales )
WEDNESDAY 12 JUNE 1940
Blenheim  Aircraft from 17 Operational Training Unit ( OTU ) broke-up in the sky above the village and crashed near Cwmafan 3 miles East of
Port Talbort South Wales.
Crew: Sgt. Bain V.A.(741596) - Pilot Injured (landed by parachute near Woodland Row )
Sgt. Wheeler W.H.(747805) - Observer Killed
Ac2  Boulton S. (636888) - Wireless Op./Airgunner Killed
Weather:    Wind from West , slight drizzle , visibility poor.

The bodies of Sgt. Wheeler and Ac2 Boulton were found on the Copper miners tip, approx. 200 yards apart; neither was wearing a parachute.
Upon examination of the aircraft's logbook It was found that the plane had left Upwood airdrome , Huntingdonshire, at 08:16 hrs on a flight to Lundy Island and apparently was returning when the accident occurred. Last entry in the logbook was at 12:15 hrs - ' Gun  ............ of cumulus, altitude 20,000 feet '.On examination of a clock in the wreckage, It was found to have stopped at 12:23 hrs.(4 hrs. 7 min)

'Received from Superintendent W. Doolan this 17th day of June 1940 property: 1 loaded magazine drum and 1 oxygen cylinder found following crash of Bristol Blenheim bomber no. L 9172 at Cwmafan on 12 June 1940 which was identified as property found and handed to police

P.S. 670.          No. 913520 RAF         34 M.U. Shrews bury , Shropshire.        Officer handing over.
End of report

Bristol Blenheim IV



Victor Albert Bain (Pilot)


Sidney Boulton was buried here at Hatfield (Woodhouse) Cemetery, near Doncaster.

Victor Albert Bain later transferred to No. 143 Squadron, Coastal Command, he again survived a crash when he was shot down into the  sea of Norway in a Beaufighter. Please see report, "LINK" 01.05.1943. No.143 Squadron Coastal Command. Beaufighter JL943.
Sadly Victor was killed in a post war crash in 1946, for full details please see "LINK" (30.01.1946. No. 525 Squadron, Transport Command. Douglas DC-3 KN500.
We appreciate the great assistance of Colin Bain, son of Victor Bain, for supplying us with a great deal of information and photographs. If any other relative of the crew members would like to contact us and supply information to this loss we would greatly appreciate it.
Burial Details:

Sgt. William Hubert Wheeler
Son of William Francis and Lizzie Wheeler; husband of Ethel Marjorie Wheeler, of Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex.
AC2. Sidney Boulton
Son of Joseph A. Boulton and Elizabeth Ann Boulton, of Dunsville, Doncaster.