AF ▁W att ish am ▁after ▁their ▁return ▁from ▁France ▁where ▁they ▁had ▁suffered ▁a ▁terrible ▁cas ual ty ▁rate ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France . ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ▁primarily ▁fle w ▁precision ▁day light ▁or ▁night time ▁bomb ing ▁ra ids ▁on ▁German ▁targets ▁in ▁the ▁occupied ▁countries , ▁air fields , ▁har b ours ▁and ▁tro op ▁install ations . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁– ▁ 1 6 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁he ▁was ▁fort un ate ▁to ▁surv ive ▁when ▁his ▁Br istol ▁B len heim ▁Mark ▁IV ▁( serial ▁number ▁" R 3 7 3 7 ") ▁crash ed ▁as ▁he ▁attempted ▁an ▁emer gency ▁landing ▁near ▁St ow market ▁during ▁a ▁mission ▁to ▁bomb ▁German ▁air b ases ▁in ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Pr ison er ▁of ▁war ▁On ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 1 9 ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁Hum ph re ys ▁took ▁off ▁from ▁R AF ▁W att ish am ▁on ▁a ▁night ▁attack ▁against ▁a ▁German ▁Luft wa ffe ▁air field ▁at ▁L ann ion ▁in ▁Brit t any , ▁he ▁was ▁flying ▁Br istol ▁B len heim ▁Mark ▁IV ▁( serial ▁number ▁" T 1 8 6 0 ), ▁his ▁crew ▁were ▁Serge ants ▁G ▁R ▁Gr ig gs ▁and ▁L ▁F ▁Brand ▁ ▁The ▁aircraft ▁was ▁lost , ▁possibly ▁due ▁to ▁Naval ▁light ▁anti - air craft ▁fire , ▁on ▁this ▁mission ▁and ▁its ▁crew ▁taken ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war . ▁ ▁Hum ph re ys