Operation: Shipping strike

Date: 7th December 1940 (Saturday)

Unit No: 211 Squadron, RAF Middle East, Bomber Command

Type: Blenheim I

Serial: L4926

Code: UQ:?

Base: Menidi, aka Menidi-Tatoi, Greece

Location: Near Agrinion, west of Athens, Greece

Pilot: Plt Off. Paul Bernard Pickersgill 41057 RAF Age 21. KiA

Obs: Sgt. Harry Taylor 745958 RAFVR Age 23. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Alfred Norman Hallett 650433 RAF Age? KiA

REASON FOR LOSS:

During the day the squadron mounted two (2) operations to the same target. The first leaving at 07:10 hrs.

211 Squadron Blenheims at RAF Menidi, Greece taken later in 1941.

The second nine (9) aircraft took-off at 13:00 hrs, each loaded with 250 lb bombs. The conditions over the day had greatly changed regarding the weather was low cloud base, with severe icing.

Two (2) of the nine (9) aircraft sent were the only ones to have reached the target although they were intercepted by Luftwaffe fighters they managed to return and one large vessel claimed to have been hit. Five (5) others never reached the target and returned for various reasons.

L4926 was one (1) of two (2) aircraft from the squadron that failed to return. Enroute to the target they encountered severe weather and crashed into the hills surrounding Agrinion (Agrinio) some 212 km (132 miles) west of Athens killing all aboard.

The second was L1535 flown by Plt Off. Guy I. Jerdein which was also lost due to the severe weather conditions.

Burial details:

The crew were initially buried at the Agrinion Municipal Cemetery and finally laid to rest at the Phaleron War Cemetery on the 6th August 1945.

Plt Off. Paul Bernard Pickersgill. Phaleron War Cemetery. Grave 5.C.13. Grave Inscription: “IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DARLING PAUL. LORD, GRANT HIM ETERNAL REST. D.M.E. AND A.”. Born in the 1st Qtr of 1919 in Easingham, Durham. Son of Frederick Oliver, OBE and Ethel Mary (née Brown) Pickersgill of Sturry, Canterbury, England.

His father was made assistant Regional Controller, Ministry of Labour and National Service during the Second World War, for which he was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1947.

Sgt. Harry Taylor. Phaleron War Cemetery. Grave 5.C.14. Grave Inscription: “IN MEMORY. EVER DEAR”. Son of Harry William and Frances Kathleen Mary Taylor of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England.

Sgt. Alfred Norman Hallett. Phaleron War Cemetery. Grave 5.C.12. No biographical information found about Sgt. Hallett and his family.

Researched by Kate Tame and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to Don Clark’s account on his website 211 Squadron. Thanks to Don Clark for the correction to the loss location (Oct 2025).

Other source listed below:

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