Zone
Finistère

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley VII off Brest: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z6964
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
2981
YOM:
1941
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Pointe des Espagnols, southwest of Brest. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O William Desmond Stuart Bow, pilot,
P/O Douglas Murray Stein, pilot,
F/O John Wheatley Goldsmith Potter, observer,
Sgt Leonard Kitchener Newman, wireless operator,
Sgt Harold Malcolm Tookey, wireless operator,
Sgt Douglas Arthur Young, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT149
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham on an operation to Brest. It crashed for unknown reason while approaching the target area, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
W/O Arthur Norman Mowlam, pilot,
Sgt George James Linegar, observer,
Sgt William Black, wireless operator,
Sgt Clarence James Stringer, wireless operator.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1403 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
R5795
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington at 0934LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea some 7 km off Brest. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Robert Conn, †
Sgt George Gardiner Fell, †
Sgt Morton Ralph Heinish, †
P/O Neville George Stokes, †
Sgt Isaac Hewitt,
Sgt Gwynne Pryce Thomas,
Sgt Thomas Michael Wade.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Brest: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
W7428
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on an operation to Brest. Over the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109, caught fire and crashed into the sea. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Gordon Bunce,
P/O Roland Niall Chancellor,
Sgt David Ferguson,
Sgt Kenneth Ainslie Jeffreys,
Sgt Patrick George Osman,
F/Sgt James Lloyd Ruthven,
Sgt Robert Shearer,
F/Sgt Wilfred Wooldridge.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I Off Brest: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N3680
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 0940LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Nicholas Frederick Durban,
F/Lt Bernard Parnell,
Sgt John Henry Martin Pulford,
Sgt Maurice Anthony Sullivan,
Sgt Kenneth Roy Taylor,
F/Sgt Ronald Wheatley,
Sgt Terence Patrick Wright.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Brest: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AD921
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Location:
Brest
Finistère
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 North Luffenham on a mine laying operation off Brest. Believed to have crashed into the sea off the target area. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Richard Alfred Palmer Vincent Atkinson,
P/O David McLaren,
Sgt Thomas John Pearce,
Sgt Ronald John Pulham,
Sgt Alfred Harry Taylor.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE196
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington at 1300LT on a mine laying operation off Brest. Believed to have crashed into the sea off the target area. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur Howard Gumbley,
F/O Harry Jeffrey Jeffcoat,
Sgt Leonard Dalton Leggett,
W/Cdr Sidney Trevor Misselbrook.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Brest: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW197
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
MSN:
9904
YOM:
1941
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval at 1841LT on a gardening operation off Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Edward Earl, †
Sgt Kenneth William Perry, †
Sgt Carl Christian Thomsen, †
W/O F. J. Gornall.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Brest: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW238
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
9933
YOM:
1941
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in an operation to Brest when it crashed into the sea while approaching the target area. A crew was killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Alaric Joseph Appleby, †
F/O Arthur George Collings,
P/O William James Hunter,
W/O Albert Edward Taylor.

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

Date & Time: Jul 24, 1941 at 1555 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5438
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 1138LT on an operation to Brest. While flying at an altitude of 5,000 feet northeast of the city, it was attacked by at least four fighters and crashed. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Charles Broadhurst,
F/Sgt William Edwin Chappell,
P/O Maurice Sydney Nichols,
F/Sgt John Reginald Powell,
Sgt Peter Douglas Simpson,
Sgt Arthur Gordon Tatham.
Probable cause:
Shot down by German fighters.
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