Date:	Monday 2 October 1939
Time:	05:05
Type:	Armstrong Whitworth Whitley B Mk IV
Owner/operator:	10 Sqn RAF
Registration:	K9018
MSN:	AWA.1471
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	North Sea, 180 miles east of St. Abbs Head, Berwickshire, Scotland -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.IV K9018 (ZA-G) of 10 Squadron, RAF: Written off (destroyed) 2 October 1939 when failed to return from combat operations. The aircraft left RAF Dishforth at 22:15 LT on 1 October 1939 on a "Nickel" (Leaflet Dropping) sortie, with Berlin as its objective. While cruising some 180 miles east of Saint Abbs Head, Berwickshire, Scotland, the aircraft disappeared into the North Sea. Last message received at 05:05 am. All five crew were posted as missing, presumed killed

Crew of Whitley K9018:
Acting Flight Lieutenant John William Allsop (pilot, Service Number 39452)
Pilot Officer Alan Gordon Salmon (2nd Pilot, Service Number 40321)
Aircraftman 1st Class John Rogerson Bell (Service Number 550003)
Aircraftman 1st Class Alfred Francis Hill (Service Number 545939)
Leading Aircraftman Fred Ellison (Service Number 526415)

Despite extensive Air and Sea Search No Trace of Aircraft nor Aircrew were ever located. All five are listed on the Runnymede Memorial to Airman with No Known Resting Place. No Night fighter Claims listed for that night, so not believed to have been shot down.

1. Royal Air Force Aircraft K1000-K9999 (James J. Halley, Air Britain 1976 p 75)
2. National Archives (PRO Kew) File AIR 81/26: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14142109
3. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-armstrong-whitworth-aw38-whitley-iv-north-sea-5-killed
4. Colour photo of K9018, Biggin Hill, 1939: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/3374978903
5. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1082734/allsop,-john-william/
6. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2940832/salmon,-alan-gordon/
7. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1083750/bell,-john-rogerson/
8. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1800095/hill,-alfred-francis/
9. https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1269582/ellison,-fred/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Jun-2019 21:26	Dr. John Smith	Added
03-Jun-2019 09:41	stehlik49	Updated [Operator]