Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Lorient: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3345
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2359LT on July 6 to lay mines in French waters off Lorient. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All five occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Frederick Galley, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Joseph Alexander, observer,
Sgt William George Roddy, observer,
Sgt John David Robert Heddle, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Graham Cowan Barrie, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Westrum: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1942 at 0129 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
Z1619
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Westrum
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2313LT on June 27 on an operation to Bremen. Approaching Cloppenburg, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Westrum, about 85 km southwest of Bremen. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Norman Thomas Owen, pilot,
Sgt George Towns, observer,
P/O William Henderson, wireless operator,
P/O John Elwyn Jones, air gunner,
P/O Hector William Cuthbert Watts, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Southwold: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942 at 0116 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BJ594
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Southwold
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2330LT on June 25 on an operation to Bremen. The mission was abandoned after the crew encountered technical issues with the electrical system. Decision was made to return to base but the airplane crashed in Southwold after a third attempt to land, colliding with a pillbox, causing the rear turret to be torn off, mortally injuring its occupant, Sgt Young. The airplane was destroyed an all four other crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt W. P. Thompson, pilot,
Sgt Walters, observer,
Sgt S. Thompson, wireless operator,
Sgt Stone, air gunner,
Sgt Henry Edward Young, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Electrical failure in flight.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Alconbury: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1942 at 0945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
R3611
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Alconbury AFB
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at RAF Alconbury. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of about 50 feet, the right engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed near the airbase. A crew was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt P. C. Thompson, pilot,
P/O Robert Travers O'Neill, observer, †
Sgt J. C. Williams, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine after takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Moorburg: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1942 at 0105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
HF918
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Moorburg
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2301LT on June 6 on an operation to Emden. After passing the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Moorburg, some 46 km east of Emden. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Thomas Meldram Terris, pilot,
Sgt James William Wooff, observer,
Sgt Kenneth Noel Drake, wireless operator,
Sgt Charles Stanley Harding, air gunner,
Sgt Leslie James Hunter, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1942 at 0126 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
X3339
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Geldern
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2314LT on June 5 on an operation to Essen. After passing the Dutch/German border, it collided with another RAF Wellington registered DV699. Out of control, it entered a dive and crashed in Geldern, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Edward Arthur Smith, pilot,
Sgt Guy Hesketh Chamberlin, pilot,
F/O Alexander Klinniburgh, observer,
Sgt Kenneth Buchanan, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert McCrae, air gunner,
P/O Dudley Ellis, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Hoorn: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1942 at 0034 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
DV812
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Hoorn
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2300LT on June 5 on an operation to Essen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the IJsselmeer off Hoorn. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Walter Thompson, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Whelan, observer,
Sgt John Charles Mason, wireless operator,
Sgt William Pereira, air gunner,
Sgt Stanley Alexander Marr, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Brussegem: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942 at 0241 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
DV786
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Brussegem
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2338LT on June 2 on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Brussegem, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Patrick David Powell, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Chadwick, observer,
Sgt Thomas Cudworth, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas James Kehoe, wireless operator,
Sgt Leonard Johnson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Vorden: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0255 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
DV715
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Vorden
Gelderland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2355LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Vorden, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Gordon Arthur Malin, pilot,
Sgt James Herbert Holmes, observer,
Sgt Ronald Peel, wireless operator,
Sgt Leonard Frank Cooke, air gunner,
Sgt Raymond Catley, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Tholen: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3598
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Location:
Tholen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2315LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Flying over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed west of Tholen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Douglas Norman Bain, pilot,
F/Sgt William Thomas Cormack, pilot,
P/O Leslie Newton, observer,
Sgt Andrew Turnbull Brunton, wireless operator,
Sgt Derek Harry Normington, wireless operator,
P/O Emrys Evans, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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