Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Gleuel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9687
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 2135LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Gleuel. A crew was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Walery Misiakiewicz, pilot,
Sgt Marian Jan Bratkowski, pilot,
F/Lt Edward Jerzy Młynarski, observer, †
F/Sgt Władysław Stanisław Graczyk, wireless operator,
Sgt Marian Ludwik Niewolski, air gunner,
Sgt Jan Ludwik Broda, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in March

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DV437
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 2127LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. Over the target area, it was attacked by a German fighter and the starboard engine failed. The crew managed to return to England on the port engine. But when this unit overheated beyond its limit, a crash-landing was made at Milton School Farm near March. All six crew members were uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt Alojzy Łozowicki, pilot,
Sgt Marian Jan Strączek, pilot,
F/O Jan Teofil Waciński, observer,
Sgt Ludwik Gibas, wireless operator,
Sgt Czesław Piniewski, wireless operator,
Sgt Wincenty Garbacz, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after being attacked by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5664
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2113LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert Gillespie, pilot,
F/O Ray Wilmott Brown, pilot,
Sgt Frank White, navigator,
Sgt Edward Ernest Fairhurst, wireless operator,
Sgt Cerris Moseley, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Duncan Campbell, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Gelsenkirchen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1942 at 0129 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HF856
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 2250LT on an operation to Essen. It crashed for unknown reasons in Hüllen, a district of Gelsenkirchen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Walter Murray, pilot,
F/Sgt Harry Alyn Neal, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Walter Penny, navigator,
Sgt Fred Bonser, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt David Smith, wireless operator and air gunner,
Cpt Harold MacRae Butterworth, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Kessel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1942 at 0050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1230
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 2204LT on April 10 on an operation to Essen. After passing the German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Kessel. A crew member was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Józef Janik, pilot, †
Sgt Jerzy Józef Solecki, pilot,
P/O Bolesław Piwowarek, observer,
Sgt Zenon Klus, wireless operator,
Sgt Tadeusz Kazimierz Moszyński, air gunner,
Sgt Wacław Walukiewicz, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Middenmeer: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1942 at 0023 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8838
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
East Wretham - East Wretham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 2201LT on an operation to Essen. Passing over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a field in Middenmeer. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Josef Kalensky, pilot,
Sgt Karel Kodes, pilot,
F/O Karel Rychnovsky, navigator,
Sgt Jan Peprnicek, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Josef Politzer, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Josef Hrdina, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Troed-y-Rhiw: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1942 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1597
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pershore - Pershore
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Following a cross country flight, the crew was returning to his base at RAF Pershore when he encountered poor weather conditions over Wales with CB's and severe turbulence. The airplane went out of control and crashed in hilly terrain near Troed-y-Rhiw. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Jack Mathew Kennedy, pilot,
Sgt William McLafter Lomax, navigator,
Sgt William Smith, observer,
Sgt Neville Griffin,
Sgt William Haylett Lacey, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Thomas Ellingham, air gunner,
Sgt Desmond Walter Dowling, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, it is believed that the airplane entered cumulonimbus and was possibly strucked by lighting.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Cold Ashton: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7818
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Harwell - Harwell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While cruising in low visibility due to heavy rain falls, the Wellington collided with a RAF Supermarine Spitfire registered R6686. Both aircraft crashed in a field located in Broadwater, Cold Ashton, north of Bath. All seven occupants in both aircraft were killed. They were engaged in a training flight on behalf of the 15th OTU.
Crew:
W/O George Ernest Leeke, pilot,
Sgt Walter Frank Good, observer,
F/Sgt Stanley William Pook, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Eric Coleman, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Frederick Keith Fairclough, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Wilson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Llanymawddwy: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1942 at 1312 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P9299
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham on a cross country flight. Over Wales, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. While descending into clouds, the airplane impacted hilly terrain near Llanymawddwy. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Aldis Keda,
P/O Jan Stefek,
Sgt Rudolf Grimm,
Sgt Jindrich Horinek,
F/Sgt Jan Stanovsky,
Sgt Rudolf Vokurka.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Geetbets: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1942 at 0228 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9764
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 2258LT on April 5 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over Belgium at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Geetbets. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Alfred Osadzinski, pilot,
P/O Kazimierz Ziemiański, pilot,
F/Lt Zygmunt Natkański, observer,
Sgt Dominik Marian Grajnert, wireless operator,
Sgt Ludwik Karol Assman, air gunner,
Sgt Zdzisław Babraj, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.