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Old 21st Oct 2016, 17:27
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L9172
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Hi Tom,

First I must mention that my knowledge of the geography of Kenya is minimal at best and therefore I may be making a complete hash of my guesses about where a particular location might be. But here is what I can offer about possible Blenheim crashes on or near Mount Satima.

It seems that Mount Satima is about 40 miles almost due east of Nakuru where 70 OTU was based and rises to almost 13,000 feet.

Any of the following Blenheims might be the one you are after:

V6187 31/07/42 with 70 OTU and crashed: details unknown.
Not much help I’m afraid but a possibility.

V6245 23/04/42 with 70 OTU and flew into high ground 36 miles from Naivasha, Kenya while on a Navex in bad weather. Sgt R.Daniel RAAF, Sgt J.Ahern RAAF and Sgt N.Peters RAAF were all killed and are buried in Gilgil War Cemetery, Kenya.
This aircraft seems a pretty good candidate as 36 miles north-north-east from Naivasha on my map would place the crash site just north of Mount Satima. However, my notes give no indication of the direction from Naivasha.

V6329 27/12/41 with 70 OTU and DBF when flew into high ground near Kampi ya Moto, Kenya, after an engine cut and it lost height. P/O G.Hanson RAAF and Sgt B.James RAAF were injured while Sgt V.Semler RAAF was unhurt.
A possibility I suppose, but Kampi ya Moto is about 50 miles from Mount Satima which seems a bit far for the location given for the crash. Also the condition of the crew would suggest that the impact was fairly light so I would imagine that recovery of the aircraft was not too difficult.

BA240 08/01/43 with 70 OTU when it collided with AZ926 and crashed 30 miles north-east of base. P/O H.Leach was unhurt.
30 miles north-east of base would have put this crash I think at the northern end of the Aberdare Mountains. We must assume that P/O Leach was flying solo. Another possibility I think. This aircraft was a Blenheim V.

There were other units flying Blenheims around Africa of course, and one of them may have provided the aircraft you discovered so I think it must now be up to you to sort out which of these aircraft might be the one you have found (or perhaps none of them but something else entirely).

Hugh
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