Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Borkum Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1942 at 0044 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7469
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2313LT on June 6 on an operation to Emden. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Borkum Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (49th Squadron):
S/L Peter Morrice De Mestre, pilot,
Sgt Albert Francois Buttel, pilot,
P/O Ronald Henry James Thorndyke, observer,
Sgt George Clive Whitfield, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Douglas Stephen Halliday, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Lewis James Jones, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Maxwell Elliott Whitehill, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7287
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2319LT on June 6 on an operation to Emden. While overflying the North Sea at night, it crashed in unknown circumstances. Lost without trace.
Crew (49th Squadron):
F/Lt Roger Edward Rawle Paramore, pilot,
Sgt Harold Whittemore, pilot,
P/O Harold Jesse Vincent, observer,
Sgt Hugh Charles Hood, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Alexander Logie, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Robert Harold Seaton, air gunner,
Sgt John Howie Pollock, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Quiberon: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R5833
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2227LT on June 5 on a mine laying operation in the Gorse region. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Quiberon. Six crew members were killed and a seventh became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Desmond William Garland, pilot, †
Sgt John Joseph Nixon, pilot, †
Sgt Albert Moth, observer, †
P/O Reginald Thomas Gill, wireless operator,
Sgt William Gray, wireless operator, †
Sgt Robert William Ogilvie, air gunner, †
Sgt Walter Roy West, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Beekbergen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1942 at 0233 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7432
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2110LT on June 3 on an operation to Bremen. Over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by a German fighter, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O John Frankland Heaton, pilot, †
P/O John Ross Steen, pilot, †
P/O Harold William Sheen, observer, †
Sgt John Albert Farquhar,
Sgt Kenneth James Frederick Gaulton,
Sgt Stanley Henry Thomas, air gunner, †
Sgt Peter Saviour Buttigeig.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Voorheide: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R5794
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 0007LT on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Voorheide. Five crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O William Clifford Shackleton, pilot, †
F/Sgt Reginald Henry Hobson Garratt, pilot, †
Sgt Frank William Moles Wilson, observer, †
Sgt Reginald Cyril Shannon, wireless operator,
Sgt Charles Douglas Nolan, wireless operator,
Sgt George John Arscott Miles, air gunner, †
Sgt Ernest Albert Patey, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Bree: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0214 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7301
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2301LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Following an uneventful mission, the airplane returned to base when, while flying over Belgium at night, it was shot down by the German Flak. The captain ordered his crew to bail out. Sole on board, he attempted an emergency landing in Bree, some 21 km northwest of Gent. Unfortunately, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a drainage ditch and was destroyed. The captain was killed and all six others occupants evaded.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O Leslie Thomas Manser, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie Harold Baveystock, pilot,
P/O Richard John Barnes, radio navigator,
P/O Robert Milham Horsley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stanley Edward King, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Allan McFadyen Mills, air gunner,
Sgt Benjamin William Naylor, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Mülheim: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0127 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7290
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2255LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. While flying over Duisburg at night, the airplane was shot down by the German Flak and the right engine exploded. Five crew members were able to bail out when the airplane rolled over, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a huge explosion, killing both other occupants.
Crew (49th Squadron):
P/O Philip Nevil Floyd, pilot, †
Sgt Douglas Evans Randall,
Sgt John Ross McKenzie Valentine,
Sgt John Smith, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Frederick Edward Woodrow,
Sgt James Frank Wright,
Sgt Eric Probert.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I Off Emmeloord: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7429
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2300LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. While flying over the Netherlands at night, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and is believed to have crashed into the IJsselmeer, off Emmeloord. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (49th Squadron):
P/O John Philip Carter, pilot,
F/Sgt David Block, pilot,
Sgt George Charles Haynes, radio navigator,
Sgt John Cook Ramsey, air gunner,
Sgt Lawrence John Yeates, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Arnold Gregory Welch, air gunner,
Sgt Maurice Samuel Ash, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Waddington

Date & Time: May 30, 1942 at 0250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R5786
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a cross country flight, the crew was unable to return to base at RAF Skellingthorpe due to poor weather conditions. The pilot diverted to RAF Waddington but the airplane landed in heavy rain on a grassy runway. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, crossed the boundary fence and a road, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a field. All three crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Crew:
P/O D. W. Garland, pilot,
F/Sgt P. Campbell,
Sgt N. Tomlin.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester IA into the Irish Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7418
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While on a training sortie, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the Irish Sea off the Pembrokeshire coast. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Frank Chapman,
Sgt Kenneth John Gill,
Sgt Alexander Joseph McHardy,
F/Sgt Ralph Ainsworth Post,
Sgt Ralph Ernest Warren.