Sgt Cecil E. Bell, engineer of the Douglas C-47 42-92061, took off from Belfast, Ireland in transit to the crew’s base in Southern England. However, the plane had been broken into the night before, despite or perhaps because of, the local MPs insistence that they guard it. Personal effects had been stolen, and perhaps instruments had been tampered with, for the plane ended up over occupied France. Relaxing, listening to the radio, and chatting amongst themselves, the crew was unaware of their mistake until two German Messerschmitts came out of the clouds and riddled them with bullets, killing the pilots and navigator. The surviving members of the crew tried to bail out, but the reserve fuel tanks aboard caught fire from a second pass, and the radio operator died as well. Only Sgt Bell managed to bail out and escape back to the UK. His E&E report may be read at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-85.pdf .