Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Sankt Jürgen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941 at 0458 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5553
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2321LT on November 7 on an operation to Berlin. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Sankt Jürgen, northeast of Bremen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Merlin Kelmer Solheim, pilot,
F/Sgt Alexander Lawrence Dennis Hassan, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Douglas Killin, observer,
F/Sgt Charles Harold Bell, wireless operator,
Sgt Charles Colin Hynam, wireless operator,
Sgt Graham Alexander McLeod, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II into The Channel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1941 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8419
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1815LT on an operation to Le Havre. Around 2030LT, the crew reported that the mission was completed. It is believed that half an hour later, while returning to base, it crashed in unknown circumstances in The Channel. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Cyril Roland Hall, pilot,
Sgt Lloyd Eldon Dodge,
F/Sgt Lawrence Herbert Jackson, wireless operator,
Sgt William Leo Newton Johnston,
F/Sgt George Frederick Marr,
Sgt Percy Thomas Walter Walker.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Pocklington: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1941 at 0457 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z9155
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
MSN:
2289
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1909LT on October 12 on an operation to Nuremberg. While returning to base the following morning, the crew was instructed to divert to RAF Pocklington. On approach, the airplane crashed one mile south of the airfield and was destroyed. All five crew members were killed. A few minutes before the crash, the pilot radioed to say he was almost out of fuel.
Crew:
Sgt Hugh Edwin Donson, pilot,
F/Sgt William Henry Burns, wireless operator,
Sgt Herbert Conroy Lee, wireless operator,
Sgt Clive Gordon Lord,
Sgt Joseph Geoffrey Rich.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Szczecin

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8344
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2222LT on September 19 on an operation to Stettin. It is believed that it crashed while approaching the target area. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
W/O Douglas Jobson Clayden,
Sgt Thomas Foreman Dougall,
Sgt Charles Wilbert Forman,
W/O John Lord,
Sgt J. Emsley,
P/O William Barnes Towler.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II near RAF Pocklington: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5492
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington on a local test flight. While cruising at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent, suffered a structural failure and crashed two miles north-northeast of the airbase. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Norman Watson Thompson, pilot,
Sgt Ronald George Chandos, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Peter Turton, observer,
Sgt Charles Harold Fletcher, wireless operator,
Sgt Walter Irvine Strother, wireless operator,
Sgt James Matthew Maxon, air gunner,
Sgt Gabriel Phillips,
AC1 Harry Armitage.
Probable cause:
The accident was caused by the dinghy breaking loose from its stowage and fouling the elevators, which in turn sent the Wellington into a steep dive and structural failure occurred.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Pocklington

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
P4413
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1825LT on September 15 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it diverted to RAF Pocklington where it crashed on approach. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
P/O G. W. Ward,
P/O Loftus,
Sgt Walley,
Sgt Flowerday.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II near Nienborg

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1941 at 0122 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5521
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2032LT on September 7 on an operation to Berlin. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed 2 km northeast of Nienborg. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Joseph Stanley Courtnall,
P/O William Kenneth Mackey,
Sgt Percival Stephenson MacNutt,
Sgt Ronald Perkin,
Sgt John Stewart Saunders,
Sgt Smith.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II near RAF Pocklington

Date & Time: Sep 1, 1941 at 2150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5535
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Pocklington. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase, the left engine caught fire. The airplane crashed in a field near the airfield and was destroyed by a post crash fire. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Crew:
Sgt Turner,
Sgt H. S. McNeil,
Sgt A. N. McLennan.
Probable cause:
The left engine caught fire in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I near RAF Pocklington: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1941 at 0415 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L9518
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2113LT on August 29 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it suffered an engine failure. Abandoned by the crew, it crashed near RAF Pocklington. Two crew members were killed and four others were rescued.
Crew:
S/L Richard Bickford, pilot, †
Sgt George William Duckmanton, †
P/O Jones,
Cpl Randall,
F/S J. Flannigan,
Sgt Reilly.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to the airplane running low on fuel.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Glüder: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5488
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2350LT on August 28 on an operation to Duisburg. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Glüder. Four crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ernest Miller Watts, pilot, †
Sgt Douglas Miller Hughes, observer, †
Sgt John William Thomas Davies, wireless operator, †
Sgt Roy James Hollobone, wireless operator, †
Sgt Donald Sutherland MacLeod,
Sgt Ivan Boyd Quinn.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.