Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

W4026

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Schedule:

Oban – Invergordon – Keflavik

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Few minutes after take off from RAF Invergordon, while cruising in poor visibility due to bad weather conditions, the seaplane hit the Eagle's Rock hill located near Breamore, about 55 km northwest of Inverness. A passenger was seriously injured while all 14 other occupants were killed, among them Prince George, Duke of Kent. With three officers of his staff, he was en route to Iceland on an official visit in Reykjavik.
Crew (228th Squadron):
F/Lt Frank McKenzie Goyen, pilot,
W/Cdr Thomas L. Moseley, copilot,
F/O Sydney Wood Smith, copilot,
P/O George Richard Saunders, navigator,
F/Sgt William Royston Jones, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Charles Norman Lewis, airframe fitter,
F/Sgt Edward James Hewerdine, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Edward F. Blacklock, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Arthur Rowland Catt, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Leonard Sweett, flight engineer and fitter,
Sgt Andrew S. W. Jack, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
Air Commodore HRH Prince George, The Duke of Kent,
Lt John Crowther, private secretary,
P/O Michael Strutt,
LAC John Walter Holes.

Probable cause:

The aircraft was equipped with a new gyro-compass few days prior to the accident and the crew was not familiar with it. According to the Board of investigations, it appears that the accident occurred as a result of navigational error. The crew failed to make sufficient allowance for a strong on-shore wind and allowed the aircraft to drift over high ground before it gained sufficient altitude to clear the hilly terrain. According to the Hansard Report of October 7th 1942, blame was apportioned to the captain of the aircraft, "Who changed flight plan for reasons unknown and descended through cloud without making sure he was over water, and crashed." Poor visibility due to bad weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Gibraltar: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 22, 1942 at 0235 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

W4029

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

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Schedule:

Gibraltar - Gibraltar

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The crew was returning to his base in Gibraltar following a convoy mission. During a night approach, the seaplane hit the water surface, exploded and disintegrated some 1,000 yards off shore. A crew member was seriously injured while all 11 other occupants were killed. Two bodies were found on 3rd and 9th of September only.
Crew (202nd Squadron):
P/O Colin Arthur Rimmington, pilot, †
Sgt Frederick d'Arcy Scott, pilot, †
F7Sgt James Michael Corcoran, pilot, †
Sgt Ernest Frederick Chaplain, flight engineer, †
P/O Kenneth Gordon Gray, observer,
Sgt George Form, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Cecil John Barrington, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt John Simpson Hay, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Alan Morgan, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Cecil James Lee, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Harold Wallis, air gunner, †
Sgt Keith Adams. †

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Sierra Leone: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1942

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Registration:

L2158

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Military

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The crew was performing a maritime convoy mission off the Sierra Leone coast. En route, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (204th Squadron):
P/O J. Quinn,
P/O H. Horner,
F/Sgt E. C. G. Jackman,
Sgt J. James,
Sgt K. O'Meara,
Sgt W. A. Davis,
Sgt W. D. Maconnell,
Sgt E. H. Connell,
Sgt D. Stevens.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I into the Mediterranean Sea: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1942

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Registration:

L5806

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Disappeared into the Mediterranean sea while performing a maritime patrol flight. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (230th Squadron):
F/O Jack S. Bentley,
F/O Albert G. B. Williams,
F/Lt Ephraim H. Brown,
F/Lt William A. Chapman,
P/O Eric E. T. Cattemull,
P/O Kenneth F. Harding,
P/O Herbert H. Nash,
F/Sgt Leonard Blashill,
F/Sgt Roland L. Manley,
Sgt William Bulman,
Sgt Alastair H. MacDonald,
Sgt Amon Riding,
Sgt Eric S. C. Williams.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I into the Atlantic Ocean: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 11, 1942

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Registration:

L5805

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Schedule:

Bathurst - Freetown

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The aircraft left Bathurst at 2255LT on June 10 on a maritime patrol flight to Freetown, Sierra Leone. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but no trace of the seaplane was ever found.
Crew (95th Squadron):
P/O J. Pybus,
F/O J. M. Henderson,
F/O R. W. Lawrence,
P/O D. J. Whalley,
Sgt V. Cromer,
Sgt J. E. Burley,
Sgt R. G. Greenman,
LAC J. M. McNeill,
AC1 H. K. McCombie.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Donegal: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942

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Registration:

W3977

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Schedule:

Enniskillen - Enniskillen

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The floatplane departed Enniskillen on a maritime patrol flight. In unknown circumstances, it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Donegal. The wreckage was found but no trace of the 12 crew members.
Crew (201st Squadron):
F/Lt Francis Wilfred Smith,
P/O John Percival Bartlett,
F/O Rodney Wyben Smith,
F/O Henry Kitchin,
F/Sgt Harold Stanislaus Mason,
F/Sgt Norman Clare,
F/Sgt John Frederick Charles Smith,
Sgt Arnold Alfred Rolfe,
Sgt Hugh Jones,
Sgt Kenneth Charles Nutt,
Sgt Gordon Walter Eric Jacobson,
LAC Eric Hopkinson.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland II off RAF Mount Batten: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941

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Registration:

W3998

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

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Mount Batten - Mount Batten

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The floatplane departed RAF Mount Batten on a maritime patrol flight with a crew of 15 on board. Shortly after liftoff, while climbing, it went out of control and crashed into the sea some 200 yards offshore. Eleven crew members were killed and four others were rescued.
Crew:
F/Lt David James Fletcher, pilot, †
AC1 Kenneth William Bennett, †
AC1 Robert Cunningham, †
LAC James Wallace Douglas, †
LAC John Burnett Hides, †
Cpl John Humphrey Martin, †
F/Sgt Herbert Frederick Mitchell, air gunner, †
AC2 James Robinson, †
Sgt Herbert Leslie Southall, †
LAC John Hay Wallace, †
AC2 William Watson, †
Sgt G. F. H. Booth,
P/O W. W. Ince,
Sgt H. S. Lodge,
Sgt A. Penny.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Doonbeg: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1941 at 1830 LT

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Registration:

W3988

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While engaged in a maritime patrol flight, the floatplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some 2,5 miles off Carrowmore, near Doonbeg. Nine crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew (201st Squadron):
F/Lt James Grant Fleming, pilot,
P/O Wilfred Sefton Emmett, pilot, †
Sgt Eric Willows Jackson, pilot, †
P/O Eric Gerald Marker, observer, †
Sgt Sydney James, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Maurice Walter Gerald Fox, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt James Cannell Masterton, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Frederick Walter Lea, flight engineer, †
LAC Arthur Doncaster, †
LAC Andrew Patrick Walker, †
AC1 Albert Everall Bennett. †

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland I off Libya: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1941 at 2323 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

L2166

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

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