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Incredibly there were still some civilian aircraft flights over Britain even as the Luftwaffe continued to mount daytime raids around the country. A private British de Havilland Dragon aircraft (under registration: G-ACPY) unwisely is taken up for private use for a flight between St. Mary's on theIsles of Scilly for the short 25 mile hop back to the mainland at Penzance when it was intercepted by a Heinkel 111. Easily the Heinkel shoots down the Dragon, killing all six aboard, including two girls aged 9 and 11.
The de Havilland Dragon aircraft shot down off St Mary's, Isles of Scilly on June 3, 1941, pictured with registration before the war.
So an immediate search was made but only one body was found (a passenger - washed up near Portreath). It was later established that a Heinkel 111H-4 of I Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 28 attacked the aircraft with its nose mounted machine-gun. The Luftwaffe regarded G-ACPY as a "legitimate target" with its military appearance and government links. Was victim of a chance encounter with the He-111, which was returning from an abortive raid on the carrier HMS Indomitable at Barrow-in-Furness shipyard.
Victim's list:
Capt William Donald Anderson (pilot)
Mrs Sheelagh Marguerita Leggitt – Secretary to Sir Walter Monckton, Director-General of Ministry of Information.
Mr John Leggitt – Husband, Secretary of Anglo-Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in London.
Jeannie Leggitt, 11.
Romalita Leggitt, 9.
and Mrs. Georgina Edith Lucy Griffith.
The de Havilland Dragon aircraft shot down off St Mary's, Isles of Scilly on June 3, 1941, pictured with registration before the war.
So an immediate search was made but only one body was found (a passenger - washed up near Portreath). It was later established that a Heinkel 111H-4 of I Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 28 attacked the aircraft with its nose mounted machine-gun. The Luftwaffe regarded G-ACPY as a "legitimate target" with its military appearance and government links. Was victim of a chance encounter with the He-111, which was returning from an abortive raid on the carrier HMS Indomitable at Barrow-in-Furness shipyard.
Victim's list:
Capt William Donald Anderson (pilot)
Mrs Sheelagh Marguerita Leggitt – Secretary to Sir Walter Monckton, Director-General of Ministry of Information.
Mr John Leggitt – Husband, Secretary of Anglo-Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in London.
Jeannie Leggitt, 11.
Romalita Leggitt, 9.
and Mrs. Georgina Edith Lucy Griffith.