Bircham Newton AFB

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton at 1540LT on an anti-shipping operation. While approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed into the sea, some 10 km west of Hoek van Holland. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Cecil Roy Evans, pilot,
Sgt Eric Harold Harvey, observer,
Sgt George Sutherland Murray MacLeod, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Bircham Newton: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1941 at 0100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4140

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1833

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1945LT on March 12 on an operation to Berlin. It returned from the Dutch coast on one engine and while trying to land at RAF Bircham Newton, it overshot the airfield and crashed in a wooded area. Two crew members were killed and three others were injured.
Crew:
P/O Frederick George Malim, pilot,
P/O Eaton Geoffrey Cubitt,
Sgt J. E. Madgett,
Sgt N. W. Davies,
Sgt R. D. Davidson.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near RAF Bircham Newton

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4217

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1890

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1843LT on February 11 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following night, the crew were unable to pinpoint their position and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed near RAF Bircham Newton. All five crew members were rescued, among them three were injured.
Crew:
Sgt R. A. Congdon,
P/O N. E. Sharp,
Sgt D. Mathewman,
Sgt L. J. Allum,
Sgt Salt.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I at RAF Langham: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1941 at 1448 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

T9287

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bircham Newton - Langham

MSN:

414-2322

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton on a transfer flight to RAF Langham, carrying three crew members, two pilots being given local familiarization and three ground crew who were lifted to RAF Langham. Approaching RAF Langham, the pilot was demonstrating dive-bombing techniques and descended too low when the left wing collided with a barn. The airplane went out of control and crashed, killing all eight occupants.
Crew:
F/O Henry Edward Middleton Featherstone, pilot,
P/O John Buttemer Allen, pilot,
P/O Roy McKenzie Mansell, pilot,
F/O Dennis Maurice Gerald Kiralfry, pilot,
Sgt Robert Arthur Plowright, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
LAC Kenneth Charles George Gilder,
AC1 George Alexander Meridew,
LAC William Arthur Meller.

Probable cause:

The pilot misjudged the distance between the airplane and the barn while completing a demonstration at low height.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Bircham Newton

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1940 at 0935 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

X3008

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Waddington in the evening of November 16 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning the following morning, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and diverted to RAF Bircham Newton. The airplane overshot on landing and crashed. Two crew members were injured and two others were unhurt.
Crew:
P/O E. G. M. Bond,
Sgt A. J. K. Moon,
P/O H. R. Stockings,
Sgt C. A. Watts.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Kalbe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1940 at 0305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

X2993

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bircham Newton - Lindholme

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton on an operation to Berlin. While cruising at night, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Kalbe. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Arthur Howell Davies, pilot, †
Sgt Edgar James Andrews, pilot, †
Sgt Harold Leslie Hurrell,
Sgt Roland Lee.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Bircham Newton: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 8, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4137

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Lonton-on-Ouse

MSN:

1830

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1825LT on October 7 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Following a successful attack, the crew returned to his base but reported problems with the left engine. On final approach to RAF Bircham Newton, the airplane crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Ronald Arnold Hadley, pilot,
Sgt Charles Austin Wright, pilot,
P/O Richard Arthur Phillips, observer,
Sgt George Edgar Hall, wireless operator,
Sgt James Munro Ramsay.

Probable cause:

Engine problems.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Bircham Newton

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4411

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton at 2315LT on September 30 on an operation to Berlin. Due to intense antiaircraft fire over the target area, the crew attacked another target then returned to his base at the end of the night. While overflying Terschelling, in the Netherlands, the left engine caught fire due to an oil leak and failed. Nevertheless, the crew was able to continue to RAF Bircham Newton but on short final at dawn, the airplane crash in Docking, north of the airfield. All four crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
P/O D. E. F. Powell,
Sgt Martin,
Sgt R. E. Drake,
Sgt Green.

Probable cause:

Engine failure.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Bircham Newton

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1940 at 2300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4395

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: