Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Chedburgh

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BF357
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chedburgh - Chedburgh
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Chedburgh on a local training flight. During the takeoff roll, the airplane swung out of control and came to a halt with its undercarriage collapsed. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O G. F. Shattock, pilot,
Sgt D. Lamming,
F/O C. Wallace,
Sgt Hunt,
Sgt Smith,
Sgt F. Trinder,
Sgt M. L. Dickenson, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Dungeness: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BK610
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1914LT on an operation to Nuremberg. While returning to base in the late evening, it was shot down by enemy fire and later crashed into the North Sea while approaching Dungeness. Six crew members were killed and one parachuted to safety.
Crew:
P/O Lionel Louis Victor Toupin, pilot, †
Sgt George Bell, flight engineer, †
Sgt Jack Goddard, †
Sgt Howard Kilvington, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Robert George Thorne, †
Sgt D. R. Spanton, air gunner,
W/O Warran Walter Freeland, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Huttenheim: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943 at 2235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BF437
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newmarket at 1942LT on an operation to Nuremberg. North of Karlsruhe, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Huttenheim, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Raglan Davey, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Edgar Howlett, flight engineer,
W/O Anthony Arien, navigator,
P/O Ian James Duncan Brodie, bomb aimer,
Sgt Leighton Mansel Stone, wireless operator,
Sgt Andrew James Feenan, air gunner,
Sgt Alfred Bertram Tarrant, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Champneuville: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943 at 2213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BK697
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bourn - Bourn
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bourn at 1936LT on an operation to Nuremberg. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Champneuville. Six crew members were killed and one parachuted to safety and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Jack Graham Ripley, pilot, †
Sgt James Francis Farrelly, flight engineer, †
Sgt Archie Melrose Reid, navigator,
Sgt Arthur James Bagg, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt Clifford Burkill, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Elmer Keith Matlock, air gunner, †
F/O Lester McBride Wadman, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Les Souhesmes-Rampont: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943 at 2145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9270
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1908LT on an operation to Nuremberg. While flying over north of France at an altitude of 2,800 metres, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Les Souhesmes-Rampont. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt John Patrick Trench, pilot,
F/Sgt Frank William Richard Cole, flight engineer,
F/Lt Crofton Lustleigh Selman, navigator,
P/O Lee Gordon Gosper, bomb aimer,
P/O Henry Harwood, wireless operator,
F/Sgt William Peel Hudson, air gunner,
Sgt Eric Thomas Beney, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III off IJmuiden: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943 at 2212 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BK662
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chedburgh - Chedburgh
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 1935LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea some 10 km west of IJmuiden, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Harry William Baldock, pilot,
Sgt Peter Roy Kimber, flight engineer,
F/O Hugh Terrence Etienne, navigator,
Sgt William Taylor, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Hhedley Trotter, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Alphe Baptiste Amirault, air gunner,
Sgt Ernest Albert Wright, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Newmarket

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BK647
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newmarket at 1920LT but lost power from the port inner engine and crash landed. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
P/O R. F. Bennett, pilot,
Sgt J. B. Harrison,
Sgt A. L. Davidson,
Sgt E. R. Belford,
Sgt R. V. Weavers,
Sgt J. A. Pirie,
Sgt C. P. F. Middleton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on the port inner engine after takeoff.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Essen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9333
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 1929LT on an operation to Essen. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Kray, in the east suburb of the city. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O George Arthur Ratcliffe, pilot,
Sgt James Turner, flight engineer,
Sgt David Henry Melville, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Edwin Waddington, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Keith Ronald Heming,
Sgt John Thomas Charlton, air gunner,
Sgt William Thomas Hurl, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Heumisch: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9271
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 1905LT on an operation to Essen. In the late evening, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Heumisch and was destroyed. Three crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
F/O William Alexander Fowlie, pilot, †
P/O James Boyd Courtney, †
Sgt Angus McKay Mollison, †
Sgt John Eccles,
Sgt Narcel Renaut,
Sgt William Maurice Werkenham,
Sgt Eric Edward Garnett, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Texel Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1943 at 2232 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6123
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newmarket at 2003LT on a mine laying operation. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 20 km west of Texel Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Raymond Cyril Going, pilot,
Sgt Emrys Herbert Weaver, flight engineer,
P/O Arthur Mervyn Bridgman, navigator,
F/Sgt Frederick Arthur William Willis, bomb aimer,
Sgt Kenneth Cedric Eyre, wireless operator,
Sgt Francis Barkhouse Stewart, air gunner,
Sgt Clarence Sydney Burton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.