Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Dreumel: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1942 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8409
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Binbrook - Binbrook
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 0204LT on an operation to Essen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Dreumel. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Michael Sedgwick Duder, pilot, †
F/Sgt Francis Joseph Menshek, pilot, †
Sgt Eric Ian Campbell Wood, observer, †
Sgt George Edward Warren, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Kenneth Crouch, wireless operator, †
Sgt A. G. Macey, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Pocklington

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8441
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington on an operation to Billancourt. While returning to base, it suffered an engine failure and crashed on final approach. Three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt D. B. Webb,
Sgt L. Dickison,
Sgt J. Clarke,
Sgt M. F. Mulvey,
Sgt R. J. Tavener,
Sgt R. Forgie.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on final approach.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Pocklington: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8536
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
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 1856LT on an operation to Kiel. While climbing, an engine caught fire. The bomb load was jettisoned but due to low altitude, the bomber was caught in the blast when two of the bomb exploded and it came down four minutes after takeoff in the southern outskirts of Yapham village, north of the airbase. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Reginald Francis Robb, pilot,
F/Sgt Charles Hackney, pilot,
W/O Thomas Herbert Bennett, navigator,
F/Sgt Charles Harold Latshaw Brown, wireless operator,
Sgt Keith Winterton, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Anthony Morgan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
An engine caught fire shortly after takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Westerland-Sylt: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 0055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5516
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 1859LT on an operation to Kiel. Approaching the German coast at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea west of Westerland-Sylt. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt James Alexander Robson, pilot,
W/Cdr Gordon Dale Macallister, pilot,
Sgt John Henry Dyson, observer,
F/Sgt Melvin Peter Frederick Robson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Edmund Cecil Phillips, wireless operator,
F/Sgt William Stapleton Piers, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Tønder: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 2215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5423
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1900LT on an operation to Kiel. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Tønder, south Denmark, near the German border. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Jan Orzechowski, pilot,
P/O Stanisław Jozef Zeromski, pilot,
F/O Aleksander Roman Golczewski, observer,
F/O Mieczysław Gorzenski, observer,
P/O Walerain Feliks Gidaszewski, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward Ceglowski, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II near Odense

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 0349 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8410
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Binbr
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 2330LT on February 25 on an operation to Kiel. About 0300LT, the crew reported serious problems with the right engine that propeller should be feathered. Eventually, the airplane was abandoned and crashed in Holluf, in the suburb of Odense. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Ralph Bagshaw Abraham, pilot,
Sgt George Reginald Duckham,
Sgt Eric Norman Foinette,
W/O Everett Emerson Littlefield,
Sgt Charles Frank Payne,
W/O David Richard Wardill.
Probable cause:
Technical issues with the right engine in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II near Kiel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5440
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Binbrook - Binbrook
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook in the evening of February 25 on an operation to Kiel. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the target area.
Crew:
P/O Edward Akeroyd Bairstow, pilot,
Sgt George Edward Fox, pilot,
P/O Eric Tunnington, observer,
Sgt Rupert Vivian Pereira Ennor, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick John Wakefield, wireless operator,
Sgt George Selwyn Long-Innes, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5355
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Binbrook - Binbrook
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook on an operation to Le Havre. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in The Channel. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Walter Aston,
Sgt George Henry Bonner,
P/O Norman Nelson Powell,
P/O Edward Sharman,
Sgt David Thomas Smith,
Sgt Robert Charles Wentworth-Hyde.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in White Edge Moor

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942 at 2240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8491
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Binbrook - Binbrook
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, the captain decided to return due to the deterioration of the weather conditions. Weather over England was bad too with low clouds and snow falls. At night, the airplane impacted the ground and crash landed in the Peak District National Park, near White Edge Moor, about 12 km southwest of Sheffield. The aircraft slid on a snowy field before coming to rest. All six occupants escaped with minor injuries and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (12th Squadron):
F/O Colin Arthur Barnes, pilot,
P/O Jack Owen Seammen, pilot,
Sgt Philip Robert Coldwell, radio navigator,
Sgt Charles W. E. Carson, wireless operator,
Sgt Brian Pearson Lunn, air gunner,
Sgt Frederick John Blute, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1942 at 2205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8372
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1757LT on an operation to Hanover. It was hit by Flak over the target, which wrecked the starboard engine. A successful single engine return was accomplished and the crew landed at 2205LT at RAF Stradishall. Upon touchdown, a flare which had hung up fell out and exploded, setting light to the Wellington. All six crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt L. Molata,
P/O Ginter,
F/O B. Z. Jarkowski,
Sgt Rulewski,
Sgt Florczak,
F/O M. Gorzenski.
Probable cause:
Destroyed by fire upon landing after a flare fell out and exploded.