BOAC Flight 777 was a scheduled civilian airline flight from Portela Airport in Lisbon, Portugal to an airport at Whitchurch near Bristol, United Kingdom. On 1 June 1943 the Douglas DC-3 was attacked by eight German Junkers Ju 88s and crashed into the Bay of Biscay, killing several notable passengers, including actor Leslie Howard. It has been speculated the plane was attacked because the Germans believed that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was aboard the flight. 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... Map of the Bay of Biscay. ... The Douglas DC-3 is a fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft, which revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s and is generally regarded as one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made (also see Boeing 707 and Boeing 747). ... The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the exclusive British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946. ... The British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) was the exclusive British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946. ... Portela Airport (Portuguese: Aeroporto da Portela or Aeroporto da Portela de Sacavém) (IATA: LIS, ICAO: LPPT) is located inside the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, although it takes its name from the neighbouring parish (freguesia) of Portela, also known as Portela de Sacavém). ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisbon  - Subregion Grande Lisboa  - District or A.R. Lisbon Mayor Carmona Rodrigues  - Party PSD Area 84. ... Whitchurch is a suburb of south eastern Bristol, England, bounded by Hartcliffe to the west and Hengrove and Knowle to the north. ... Bristol (IPA: ) is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 115 miles (185 km) west of London and located at With a population of 400,000, and metropolitan area of 550,000, it is Englands sixth, and the United Kingdoms ninth, most populous city... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... The Douglas DC-3 is a fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft, which revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s and is generally regarded as one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made (also see Boeing 707 and Boeing 747). ... The Junkers Ju 88 was a WW2 Luftwaffe twin-engine multi-role aircraft. ... Map of the Bay of Biscay. ... Leslie Howard (April 3, 1893 - June 1, 1943) was an English stage and film actor. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

Historical background

BOAC Flight 777 was downed over the Bay of Biscay

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x913, 333 KB) This is a map showing the location of the Bay of Biscay in the North Atlantic Ocean bordered on France and Spain. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x913, 333 KB) This is a map showing the location of the Bay of Biscay in the North Atlantic Ocean bordered on France and Spain. ...

BOAC flights

When war broke out in Europe the British Air Ministry banned all domestic and private airline traffic except for those flown by the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). Domestic flights were moved from London to an airstrip at Whitchurch, just outside of Bristol. During the war BOAC routinely flew aircraft from Britain to North America and Portugal. All aircraft were restricted to flying a low altitude of between 1,000 and 3,000 feet and could only fly during daylight in order to ease identification. The British government also placed passenger restrictions on BOAC flights and designated them open to only diplomats, military personnel, VIPs, and anyone else who received government approval.^[1] World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the six inhabited continents of the Earth. ... The Air Ministry was formerly a department of the United Kingdom Government, established in 1918 with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the (then newly formed) Royal Air Force. ... Whitchurch is a suburb of south eastern Bristol, England, bounded by Hartcliffe to the west and Hengrove and Knowle to the north. ... Bristol (IPA: ) is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 115 miles (185 km) west of London and located at With a population of 400,000, and metropolitan area of 550,000, it is Englands sixth, and the United Kingdoms ninth, most populous city... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ...

KLM pilots and planes

In May 1940 Germany invaded the Netherlands and pilots at KLM, the Netherlands Royal Aviation Company, took their planes and flew to England. The British government attached the Dutch planes and crew to BOAC and assigned them to Whitchurch, where four times a week they flew return (roundtrip) flights to and from an airfield at Portela just outside of Lisbon, Portugal.^[1] This route had been in service since September 1940 and by June 1943 had carried over 4,000 passengers.^[2] 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... KLM (in full: Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, literally Royal Aviation Company; usual English: Royal Dutch Airlines) is a subsidiary of Air France-KLM. Before its merger with Air France, KLM was the national airline of the Netherlands. ... Portela Airport (Portuguese: Aeroporto da Portela or Aeroporto da Portela de Sacavém) (IATA: LIS, ICAO: LPPT) is located inside the city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal, although it takes its name from the neighbouring parish (freguesia) of Portela, also known as Portela de Sacavém). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

British and German civilian aircraft operated out of the same facilities at Portela and the incoming and outgoing traffic was heavily watched by both Allied and Axis spy networks, including British, German, Soviet and American. This was especially the case for the Lisbon-Whitchurch route, which frequently carried secret agents and escaped POWs back to Britain. German spies were routinely posted at terminals to record who was boarding and departing flights on the Lisbon-Whitchurch route. Harry Pusey, BOAC's Operations Officer in Lisbon between 1943 and 1944 described the area as being “like Casablanca, but twenty-fold."^[1] In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... The word axis has several meanings: In mathematics, axis can mean: A straight line around which a geometric figure can be rotated. ... Motto: Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Russian: Workers of the world, unite!) Anthem: The Internationale (1922-1944) Hymn of the Soviet Union (1944-1991) Capital (and largest city) Moscow None; Russian de facto Government Federation of Soviet Republics  - Last President Mikhail Gorbachev  - Last Premier Ivan Silayev Establishment October Revolution   - Declared... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ...

Attacks on BOAC aircraft

Planes flying along the Lisbon-Whitchurch route had been left unmolested since the beginning of the war. Both Allied and Axis powers respected the neutrality of countries such as Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland and refrained from attacking flights in and out of those nations. But the air war over the Bay of Biscay, north of Spain and off the west coast of France, began to heat up in 1942. The Germans opened the Atlantic Command at Merignac and Lorient near Bordeaux to attack allied shipping.^[1] In 1943 fighting over the area intensified and the RAF and Luftwaffe saw increased losses.^[2] This meant increased danger for the BOAC planes running the Lisbon-Whitchurch route. On 15 November 1942 the same BOAC plane that was to be destroyed in the downing of BOAC Flight 777 was attacked by German fighters while flying between Lisbon and Whitchurch.^[3] On 19 April 1943 the same plane was again attacked at coordinates 46 North, 9 West by six German planes. Captain Dirk Parmentier evaded the attackers by dropping to fifty feet above the ocean and then climbing steeply into the clouds.^[3][4] Despite these attacks BOAC continued to fly the Lisbon-Whitchurch route. The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis Powers during the Second World War. ... Area under Axis control over the course of the war shown in black Axis Powers signing with Saburo Kurusu (Japans Ambassador to Germany), Galeazzo Ciano (Italys Foreign Minister) and Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ... Map of the Bay of Biscay. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Bordeaux-Merignac Air Base (IATA: BOD, ICAO: LFBD) is a former United States Air Force base in France. ... This article is about The place Lorient in France. ... New city flag (traditional tri-crescent) City coat of arms Motto: The fleur-de-lis alone rules over the moon, the waves, the castle, and the lion Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région Aquitaine Département Gironde (33) Intercommunality Urban Community of Bordeaux Mayor... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... April 19 is the 109th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (110th in leap years). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

Flight details

A modern Douglas DC-3

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x337, 289 KB)Douglas DC-3 on take-off, Catalina Island, California. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x337, 289 KB)Douglas DC-3 on take-off, Catalina Island, California. ...

The plane and crew

The Douglas DC-3-194 was first delivered to KLM on 21 September 1936 and originally carried the registration number PH-ALI. On 10 May 1940 the plane was flown to England after the German invasion of the Netherlands and 25 July 1940 the registration number was changed to G-AGBB.^[3] The aircraft was named the Ibis, the bird venerated in the ancient world.^[3][4][5] It had received material damage in the two above mentioned attacks. The Douglas DC-3 is a fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft, which revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s and is generally regarded as one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made (also see Boeing 707 and Boeing 747). ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Genera Threskiornis Pseudibis Thaumatibis Geronticus Nipponia Bostrychia Theristicus Cercibis Mesembrinibis Phimosus Eudocimus Plegadis Lophotibis Ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae. ...

There were four Dutch crew members on the flight: Captain Pepas, Flying Officer Ben Kalning, wireless operator van Brugge and engineer Rosenbink.^[6]

The passenger list

The passenger list included stage and film actor Leslie Howard; Alfred T. Chenhall, Howard’s friend and accountant; Kenneth Stonehouse, Washington correspondent of Reuters news agency, and his wife Peggy Margetts; a Mrs. Hutcheson and her daughters, Bertha, 11, and Caroline, 2; a Mrs. Cecilia Paton; Tyrell M. Shervington, director of Shell Oil Company in Lisbon; a Mr. Sharp, an official of the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation; and Wilfrid B. Israel, a prominent Jewish activist working to save Jews from the Holocaust.^[6][7][8] It has been widely reported that Annette Sutherland Burr, the wife of actor Raymond Burr, also perished on BOAC Flight 777. But Burr’s biographer Ona L. Hill writes that “no one by the name of Annette Sutherland Burr was listed as a passenger on the plane” and that Sutherland was on a separate commercial plane traveling between Lisbon and London around the same time as BOAC Flight 777, which was also shot down by the Germans. ^[9] Leslie Howard (April 3, 1893 - June 1, 1943) was an English stage and film actor. ... Reuters Group plc (LSE: RTR and NASDAQ: RTRSY); pron. ... The Shell emblem known as the Pecten Shell Oil Company (SOC) is the Houston, Texas based wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell. ... Concentration camp inmates during the Holocaust The Holocaust was Nazi Germanys systematic genocide (ethnic cleansing) of various ethnic, religious, national, and secular groups during World War II. Early elements include the Kristallnacht pogrom and the T-4 Euthanasia Program established by Hitler that killed some 200,000 people. ... Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacey Burr (May 21, 1917 – September 12, 1993) was an actor, most known for his roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Location    - Country Portugal    - Region Lisbon  - Subregion Grande Lisboa  - District or A.R. Lisbon Mayor Carmona Rodrigues  - Party PSD Area 84. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ...

The flight was fully booked and several people who wished to board the plane were turned back, including British Squadron Leader Wally Lashbrook, whose bomber was shot down over Belgium in April 1943. Lashbrook had managed to evaded capture and escaped to Portugal, but when he attempted to board BOAC Flight 777 he was refused.^[2] There were also three passengers who were seated on the Flight 777, but had the good fortune of leaving the plane before it took off. The young son of a British diplomat and his nanny were bumped from the flight to make room for Howard and Chenhalls, who had only confirmed their tickets at 5:00 pm the night before the flight;^[5][4] a Catholic priest also left the plane after boarding it.^[5]

Possible spies on the plane

There has been a great deal of speculation as to whether some of the passengers on BOAC Flight 777 were actually spies working for the British government.

Stage and film actor Leslie Howard was most notable of the 17 crew and passengers aboard BOAC Flight 777

Leslie Howard

The most intense intrigue has surrounded actor Leslie Howard, who at the time of his death was at the peak of his career and had world fame after appearing in such cinematic classics as The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) and Gone with the Wind (1939). Aside from his screen accolades Howard was prized by the British government for his anti-Nazi propaganda and a number of films produced in support of the war effort. During the weeks before his death Howard had been in Spain and Portugal on a lecture tour promoting his film The Lamp Still Burns. What is known about this trip is that the British Council had invited Howard on the tour^[4] and that after initial qualms he received further encouraged from British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden to undertake the trip;^[5][4] Within the British National Archives there are correspondence between Howard and Eden regarding his trip to Spain.^[10] This has led to speculation that Howard’s trip was actually a cover for espionage.^[5] The Scarlet Pimpernel is a classic play and adventure novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, set during the French Revolution. ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Gone with the Wind is a 1939 film adapted from Margaret Mitchells 1936 novel of the same name. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... An Australian anti-conscription propaganda poster from World War One Propaganda is a specific type of message presentation directly aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of people, rather than impartially providing information. ... The British Council is a partly UK Government-funded cultural relations organisation and a registered charity in the United Kingdom. ... The title of Foreign Secretary has been traditionally used to refer to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. ... Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC (June 12, 1897– January 14, 1977), British politician, was Foreign Secretary for three periods between 1935 and 1955, including World War II and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1957. ... The National Archives building at Kew. ...

Wilfrid B. Israel

Another passenger on BOAC Flight 777 was Wilfrid B. Israel, a member of an important British Jewish family and a strong supporter of Zionism who had close connections to the British government. On March 26, 1943 he left Britain for Portugal and spent the next two months investigating the situation of Jews in Spain and Portugal. By the end of his trip Israel had found as many of 1,500 Jewish refugees living in Spain, many of whom he aided in obtaining Palestine certificates. Before Israel left the peninsula he had proposed a plan to the British government to aid the Jewish refugees in Spain.^[7] Zionism is a political movement that supports a homeland for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel, where Jewish nationhood is thought to have evolved somewhere between 1200 BCE and late Second Temple times,[1][2] and where Jewish kingdoms existed up to the 2nd century CE. Zionism is... March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (86th in leap years). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... The Holy Land or Palestine Showing not only the Old Kingoms of Judea and Israel but also the 12 Tribes Distinctly, and Confirming Even the Diversity of the Locations of their Ancient Positions and Doing So as the Holy Scriptures Indicate, a geographic map from the studio of Tobiae Conradi...

There has also been speculation that Shervington, Stonehouse, Sharp, amongst others, may have also been spies working for the British government.^[4]

The attack

7:35 am – 10:54: Takeoff and flight

The 1 June 1943 British Overseas Airways Corporation flight from Lisbon-Whitchurch was assigned to the Ibis and given the flight number 777-A. At 0735 hrs GMT BOAC Flight 777-A departed from Portela Airport at Lisbon. Whitchurch received a departure message for the flight and continued regular radio contact until 1054 GMT. At that time, while the plane was roughly 200 miles north of the coast of Spain, Whitchurch received a message that the DC-3 was being followed and that it was fired upon at 46.54N, 09.37W. Shortly after the plane crashed and sank into the Bay of Biscay.^[2] June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... For alternate meanings of GMT, see GMT (disambiguation). ...

The attack: Time Magazine account

In its 14 June 1943 issue Time Magazine carried a brief story on the downing of BOAC Flight 777. The most valuable information from that article was the details of the final radio broadcast from the Dutch pilot. "I am being followed by strange aircraft. Putting on best speed. …We are being attacked. Cannon shells and tracers are going through the fuselage. Wave-hopping and doing my best."^[11] June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ...

Eight Junkers Ju 88s attacked and downed BOAC Flight 777

Junkers Ju 88 bomber. ... Junkers Ju 88 bomber. ...

The attack: German pilots account

One of the most detailed versions of the attack was revealed in Bloody Biscay: The History of V Gruppe/Kampfgeschwader 40 by Christopher H. Goss. This book states that BOAC Flight 777 was not intentionally targeted and was instead accidentally shot down when it was confused for an enemy aircraft. The account is composed of the author’s analysis of events and interviews, conducted decades after the war ended, with some of the German pilots involved in the attack.^[2]

According to this account eight Junkers Ju 88s from the air unit Staffel 14/KG 40 took off from Bordeaux at 1000 hrs local time to find and escort two U-boats;^[2] these aircraft belonged to the long range fighter group known as Gruppe V Kampfgeschwader 40^[12][4]. The names of four of the eight pilots are known: Staffel Führer Oberleutnant (Oblt) Herbert Hintze, Leutnant Max Wittmer-Eigenbrot, Oblt Albrecht Bellstedt and Oberfeldwebel (Ofw) Hans Rakow. The pilots claim that before setting out they were unaware of the presence of the Lisbon to Whitchurch flights. Due to bad weather the search for the U-boats was called off and fighters continued a general search. At 1245 hrs BOAC Flight 777 was spotted in P/Q 24W/1785 heading north. Approximately five minutes later the German planes attacked. Hintze retold his account for Goss as the following: A "grey silhouette" of a plane was spotted from 2-3000 meters and no markings could be made, but by the shape and construction of the plane it was obviously enemy. Bellstedt radioed "Indians at 11 o'clock, attack attack.” BOAC Flight 777 was attacked from above and below and the port engine and wing caught on fire. At this point Heintze recognized the aircraft as civilian and called off the attack, but the plane had already been severely damaged. Three parachutists exited the craft, but their chutes did not open; the aircraft then crashed into the ocean where it floated and then sunk. There were no signs of survivors. The German Luftwaffe of World War 2 had a distinct pattern of organization. ... U-boat is also a nickname for some diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives October 1939. ... Oberleutnant is a rank of the German military which dates from the early 19th century. ... Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. ... The German Heer distinguishes three career paths: officers (Offiziere), NCOs (Unteroffiziere) and enlisted men (Mannschaften). ...

Hintze states that all of the German pilots involved expressed regret for shooting down a civilian aircraft and were “rather angry” with their superiors for not informing them that there had been a scheduled flight between Lisbon and Britain. Goss writes that official German records back up Hintze's account that Staffel 14/KG 40 was carrying out normal operations and that the day's events occurred because the U-boats could not be found; he concludes that “there is nothing to prove that [the German pilots] were deliberately aiming to shoot down the unarmed DC-3;”^[2] this account of the German pilots and Goss’s conclusions are challenged by some authorities.^[4]

The following day German aircraft returned to the area of the downing of BOAC Flight-777 and engaged in a fight with an Australian Short Sunderland, which was on patrol searching for survivors from the previous day’s incident. The Sunderland was severely damaged, but managed to shoot down six of the eight Junkers Ju 88s that attacked it. (For more on this incident see the Short Sunderland article) The S.25 Sunderland was a flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers, first flown on 16 October 1937. ... The S.25 Sunderland was a flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers, first flown on 16 October 1937. ...

Theories for the attack

There are several theories as to why BOAC Flight 777 was shot down by the German pilots. All of these contradict the claims by the German pilots that they were not ordered to shoot down the plane, either because the theories were formulated before the testimonies of the German pilots were recorded in the 1990s or because the authors disbelieve the German accounts. The word theory has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on their methodologies and the context of discussion. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Churchill assassination attempt

The most popular theory surrounding the downing of BOAC Flight 777 is that German intelligence mistakenly believed Winston Churchill was on the plane. This theory appeared in the press within days of the incident and is supported by Churchill himself. In late May 1943, Chuchill and Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden had traveled to North Africa for a meeting with US general Dwight D. Eisenhower.^[13] The title of Foreign Secretary has been traditionally used to refer to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. ... Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, KG, MC, PC (June 12, 1897– January 14, 1977), British politician, was Foreign Secretary for three periods between 1935 and 1955, including World War II and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1957. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent. ... Dwight David Eisenhower (also known as Ike) (born David Dwight Eisenhower on October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American soldier and politician. ...

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

The German government was eager to assassinate Churchill on his return flight home and monitored flights in and out of region in case the Prime Minister tried to sneak home aboard a civilian airliner. This scenario was plausible as Churchill had flown to Britain from Bermuda in January 1942 aboard a scheduled commercial plane.^[5] Rumors had circulated since early May that Churchill might fly home from Lisbon. Some have speculated that these rumors were planted by the British Secret Intelligence Service in order to mask Churchill’s travel itinerary.^[4] PD image from http://www. ... PD image from http://www. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of a cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, is the United Kingdoms external intelligence agency. ...

According to the Churchill assassination theory, as passengers were boarding BOAC Flight 777, German agents spotted what Churchill described in his memoirs as "a thick-set man smoking a cigar", whom they mistook for the Prime Minister.^[13] This man was later identified as Alfred T. Chenhall, Howard’s accountant and portly travel companion. In addition, some have speculated that the tall and thin Howard may have been mistaken for Walter H. Thompson, Churchill’s personal bodyguard who had a similar profile.^[5] There is an even more elaborate version of this theory that argues Chenhall was employed by the British government as Churchill’s 'deliberate double' and that he and Howard boarded BOAC Flight 777 knowing they were going to die. An alternative version of this is that the British government had intercepted German messages via the Ultra code breaking operations, but failed to notify the BOAC Flight 777 for fear of blowing Ultra’s cover.^[4] Both Flight 777 (1957), a book by Ian Colvin about the incident, and In Search of My Father (1981), by Leslie Howard’s son Ronald Howard, lend credence to the idea that BOAC Flight 777 was downed because the Germans thought Churchill was on the plane.^[5] Detective Inspector Walter H. Thompson (died 1979) was the bodyguard of Winston Churchill for eighteen years between 1921 and 1945, being recalled from retirement running two grocers shops by a telegram on 22 August 1939 reading Meet me Croydon airport 4. ... Ultra (sometimes capitalized ULTRA) was the name used by the British for intelligence resulting from decryption of German communications in World War II. The term eventually became the standard designation in both Britain and the United States for all intelligence from high-level cryptanalytic sources. ... Ronald Howard may refer to: Ron Howard (b. ...

Churchill appeared to accept this theory in his memoirs, though he is extremely critical of the poor German intelligence that led to the disaster. He wrote, "The brutality of the Germans was only matched by the stupidity of their agents. It is difficult to understand how anyone could imagine that with all the resources of Great Britain at my disposal I should have booked a passage in an unarmed and unescorted plane from Lisbon and flown home in broad daylight.”^[13] As it was, Churchill traveled back to Britain via Gibraltar, departing on the evening of 4 June 1943 and arriving in Britain the next morning. June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

Poster from the film The First of the Few, released in 1942, starring Leslie Howard as R. J. Mitchell

Assassination of Leslie Howard the propaganda figure

The theory that Leslie Howard was targeted for assassination because of his role as an anti-Nazi propaganda figure is supported by journalist and law professor Donald E. Wilkes. Wilkes writes that Joseph Goebbels could have orchestrated the downing of BOAC Flight 777 because he was “enraged” by Howard’s anti-propaganda and was Howard’s “bitterest enemy.”^[5] The fact that Howard was Jewish would only further buttress this theory. In fact, Germany’s propaganda machine boasted at Howard’s death and Josef Goebbels propagandist newspaper, 'Der Angriff' (The Attack), ran the headline "Pimpernel Howard has made his last trip;”^[4] which was a reference to the 1941 film Pimpernel Smith starring Howard as a professor who rescues victims of Nazi persecution. National Socialism redirects here. ... An Australian anti-conscription propaganda poster from World War One Propaganda is a specific type of message presentation directly aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of people, rather than impartially providing information. ... Journalism is a discipline of collecting, analyzing, verifying, and presenting news regarding current events, trends, issues and people. ... Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels (October 29, 1897 – May 1, 1945) was Adolf Hitlers Propaganda Minister (see Propagandaministerium) in Nazi Germany. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... This article is about the year. ... Pimpernel Smith is a 1941 propaganda film, directed by and starring Leslie Howard, which updates the Scarlet Pimpernel story from Revolutionary France to World War II Europe. ...

Howard mistaken for R. J. Mitchell

One of the less credible theories that circulated at the time was reported by Harry Pusey. Before the attack on BOAC Flight 777 the film The First of the Few about the life of R. J. Mitchell, the creator of the Supermarine Spitfire; the film starred Howard as Mitchell and was playing widely in Lisbon theaters. The gossip on the streets of Lisbon was that German agents had mistakenly thought Howard was Mitchell and ordered the downing of BOAC Flight-777. Pusey debunked this theory: “But you would have thought someone in German Intelligence would have known that Mitchell had died in 1937, wouldn't you?”^[1] The First of the Few, (known as Spitfire in the United States), is a 1942 British film, starring and directed by Leslie Howard, and co-starring David Niven. ... Reginald Joseph Mitchell CBE (20 May 1895-11 June 1937) was an aeronautical engineer, most notable for his design of the Supermarine Spitfire. ... The Supermarine Spitfire was an iconic British single-seat fighter used by the RAF and many Allied countries in the Second World War. ...

Legacy of the Disaster

The downing of BOAC Flight 777 elicited headlines around the world and there was widespread public grief, especially for the loss of Leslie Howard, who was championed as a martyr. The British government condemned the downing of BOAC Flight 777 as a war crime. But World War II was filled with untold numbers of tragedies and the public’s attention soon shifted focus. In the context of war, a war crime is a punishable offense under International Law, for violations of the laws of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ...

In 1957 journalist Ian Colvin published a book on the disaster entitled “Flight 777: The Mystery of Leslie Howard” and in 1984 Howard’s son, Ronald Howard, published a biography of his father, including an account of his father’s death. In 2003, the 60th anniversary of the downing of BOAC Flight 777, a pair of television documentaries on the subject was released. The BBC series Inside Out produced a document as did the History Channel, which broadcast a documentary entitled Vanishings! Leslie Howard — Movie Star or Spy? Ronald Howard (7 April 1918 – 19 December 1996) was a British actor and writer, best known in the U.S. for starring in a weekly Sherlock Holmes television series in 1954, which was produced by Sheldon Reynolds. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, invariably known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world, employing 26,000 staff in the UK alone and with a budget of £4 billion. ... The History Channel is a cable television channel, dedicated to the presentation of historical events and persons, often with frequent observations and explanations by noted historians as well as reenactors and witnesses to events, if possible. ...

See also

• Accidents and incidents in aviation

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

References

Manchester is a major city within Greater Manchester in North West England, historically notable for being the worlds first industrialised city, and its subsequent central role in the Industrial Revolution. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... ProQuest Company is an Ann Arbor, Michigan based company specializing in microfilm and electronic publishing. ... location in Hennepin County, Minnesota Coordinates: Country United States State Minnesota County Hennepin Founded 1860s Incorporated 1888 Mayor James Hovland Area    - City 41. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Motor City, Motown Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... Wayne State University is located in Detroit, Michigan, in the citys Cultural Center. ... The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... ProQuest Company is an Ann Arbor, Michigan based company specializing in microfilm and electronic publishing. ... location in Hennepin County, Minnesota Coordinates: Country United States State Minnesota County Hennepin Founded 1860s Incorporated 1888 Mayor James Hovland Area    - City 41. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is becoming very long. ...

Further reading

Colvin, Ian (1957) "Flight 777: The Mystery of Leslie Howard." Evans Brothers. ASIN: B000L6HXQM

Howard, Ronald. In Search of My Father: A Portrait of Leslie Howard. St. Martin's Press. ISBN: 0312411618 Headquartered in the legendary Flatiron Building in New York City, St. ...

(July 1991) "Leslie Howard death on KLM Flt 777 1943." FlyPast. Issue #120. The Red Arrows and Concorde conclude a special flypast over Buckingham Palace on 4 June, 2002 celebrating the Queens Golden Jubilee. ...

Links

• Inside out documentary on BOAC Flight 777
• The History Channel - VANISHINGS: Leslie Howard - Movie Star Or Spy?