Country
United Kingdom

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax in Geraardsbergen: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1944 at 0035 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
LW682
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Geraardsbergen
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew left his base in UK at 2205LT on May 12 on a bombing mission to Leuven. The target was attacked between 0028 and 0035LT. At this time, the bomber was shot down by the pilot of a German Messerschmitt Me.110 and crashed in a wooded area located south of Geraardsbergen. All eight occupants, members of the RCAF, were killed.
Crew (426th Squadron):
F/S W. B. Bentz, pilot,
F/O T. W. Taylor, navigator,
F/O C. S. Phillips, bomb aimer,
AC1 J. E. McIntyre, wireless operator,
Sgt R. Ellerslie, flight engineer,
F/S J. E. J. G. Arbour, mid-under gunner,
Sgt F. Roach, rear gunner,
Sgt J.W. Summerhayes, mid-upper gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I in Colsterdale: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1943 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
JB926
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Riccall - Riccall
Location:
Colsterdale
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Riccall on the evening of November 23 for a night training exercise with five other similar aircraft. Shortly after midnight, crew informed ground about severe icing and elected to return when the aircraft went out of control and crashed on a mountain slope locate near Colsterdale. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (1658th HCU):
Sgt R. E. Bacon, pilot,
F/O H. McCarthy, navigator,
Sgt J. Titterton, flight engineer,
Sgt G. H. Manley, flight engineer,
Sgt B. F. Taylor, wireless operator,
Sgt J. J. MacGilliveray, bomb aimer,
Sgt A. Winton , air gunner,
Sgt D. E. Philips, air gunner.
Source: http://laituk.org/Halifax JB926.htm
Probable cause:
It was found that JB926 had in fact suffered severe structural failure in the air: the port outer wing had broken away, both outer engines had been torn off, as had both the port and starboard elevators. This together with the fact that the port wing tip was badly shattered and showed distinct scoring marks led again to conjecture that their had been some form of collision, either with another aircraft or a balloon cable. Later investigation found that the detached wing tip had almost certainly struck the fuselage of its own aircraft during the break up and the scoring marks had been made by JB926's own aerial wires.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I at RAF Tain

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942 at 1515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9570
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Tain - Tain
Location:
Tain AFB
Ross and Cromarty
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a local training flight at RAF Tain when it suffered un undercarriage failure upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries among the crew.
Probable cause:
The undercarriage collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I off Aberdeen

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1942 at 1005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9581
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lossiemouth - Lossiemouth
Location:
Aberdeen
Aberdeenshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lossiemouth at 0217LT to attack the Tirpitz. While returning to base, it suffered a loss of power on the port inner engine and was ditched some 4 miles off Aberdeen. The crew had been in difficulty for several hours due to severe icing and w/t failure. All crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt J. W. R. Harwood,
Sgt Patey,
Sgt Young,
Sgt Smardon,
Sgt Scott,
Sgt Petch,
Sgt Norbert David Roche, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Emergency landing following loss of engine power.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I at RAF Middleton Saint George

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9578
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
Location:
Middleton St George AFB
Durham
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a local training exercise at RAF Middleton St George. After landing, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Sgt J. B. Stark +3.
Probable cause:
The undercarriage collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I into The Channel

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
V9978
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
The Channel
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 0959LT on an operation to Brest. It was hit by the German Flak over the target and crippled so badly that the crew were obliged to ditch the airplane at 1315LT into the sea some 60 miles off the English coast. All seven crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
F/O R. C. Rivaz,
W/Cdr B. V. Robinson,
Sgt H. R. Larson,
F/O A. Abels,
Sgt N. H. Hood,
Sgt W. H. Mennell,
F/Lt F. E. P. Butonshaw.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I off Ostend: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9600
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Ostend
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1712LT on an operation to Cologne. Believed to have crashed into the sea off Ostend, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Ian Redmayne Bell,
P/O Hubert Donald Buckley,
Sgt Frank Wilson Crocker,
Sgt Gerald Leonard Grigg,
Sgt Robert William George Kent,
Sgt Laurence William Ketteringham,
Sgt Maurice Victor Wakeling.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I at RAF Middleton Saint George

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1941 at 2335 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9604
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
Location:
Middleton St George AFB
Durham
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 1718LT on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base in the late evening, it crashed upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Sgt G. R. Herbert,
Sgt J. H. G. Bingham,
Sgt Street,
Sgt M. H. Roberts,
Sgt J. B. Fanning,
Sgt Fulton,
Sgt M. C. Glover.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I in Lentföhrden: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1941 at 2224 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9582
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Lentföhrden
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1726LT on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Lentföhrden, about 38 km north of Hamburg. A crew was killed and six other became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Collins, air gunner, †
Sgt Albert Edward Connor,
F/Sgt John Craig Hamilton,
Sgt James Patrick Henderson,
Sgt Jeffrey Arnold Longford,
P/O Clifford Grove Lythgoe,
Sgt Walter Roy Stapleford.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I in Rozendaal: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941 at 0002 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9603
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Rozendaal
Gelderland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2007LT on 'Rover' patrol mission. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in the Imbos Forest near Rozendaal. Three crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Gordon Whitaker, pilot, †
Sgt Eric Rees Thomas, flight engineer, †
Sgt Robert Ferguson Thompson, air gunner, †
Sgt Richard Roye Drummond,
Sgt Arthur Roy Kilminster,
F/O Maurice Osborne Stephens,
F/Sgt Charles Witcher.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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