Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Selby: 15 killed

Date & Time: May 10, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB789
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Location:
Selby
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Circumstances:
On final approach to the RAF Burn, the bomber aircraft was too low. While overflying the city of Selby, the aircraft hit the top of the St James Church and crashed in flames in a residential area along the Portholme Drive. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and post crash fire and several houses were destroyed as well. All seven crew members were killed and eight people on ground as well.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Jackerath: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1943 at 0118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
LN284
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Jackerath
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Burn at 2300LT on July 3 on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Jackerath. Four crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Norman Hubert Apperley, pilot, †
F/O Archibald Mcleod Penman, bomb aimer, †
F/O Robert Cecil Sutherland, wireless operator,
Sgt Victor George Trew, wireless operator, †
Sgt George Alfred Lilley, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Lucherberg: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1943 at 0132 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE443
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Lucherberg
North Rhine-Westphalia
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 Burn at 2330LT on June 28 on an operation to Cologne. In the vicinity of Düren, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Lucherberg, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Parker, pilot,
Sgt Gordon Mayo Hacker, navigator,
F/O Charles Henry Ashworth, bomb aimer,
Sgt Raymond Hedley Willshire, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Patrick Kelly, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Mönchengladbach: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1943 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE394
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Mönchengladbach
North Rhine-Westphalia
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 Burn at 2319LT on June 22 on an operation to Mülheim. Over Mönchengladbach, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Lt Douglas Alfred Hine, pilot,
F/O Harold Denis Quilter, navigator,
P/O Robert Edward Mercer, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Edgar Batty, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Edwin Wilkes, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HF518
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Burn at 2333LT on June 21 on an operation to Krefeld. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea off the Dutch coast. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr John Coverdale, pilot,
P/O George Charles William Parslow, navigator,
W/O Herman Stanley Fawns, wireless operator,
F/O John Brian Godfrey Bailey, bomb aimer,
F/O Bruce Samuel Fudge, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Ground accident of a Vickers 440 Wellington X at RAF Burn

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1943 at 0420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HF543
Flight Phase:
Taxiing
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Burn AFB
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Burn at 2325LT on June 11 on an operation to Düsseldorf. The following morning, it landed safely at base, but while taxiing it collided with a Halifax registered DK192. Both airplanes were severely damaged and HF543 was not repaired.
Crew:
Sgt H. H. Apperley, pilot,
F/O W. E. Coleman,
P/O A. Perman,
Sgt B. C. Trew,
Sgt G. Lilley, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Oudesluis: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1943 at 0246 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE392
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Oudesluis
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 Burn at 2300LT on June 11 on an operation to Düsseldorf. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Oudesluis, 13 km south of Den Helder. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L William Edwin Mulford, pilot.
F/O Colin Angus McDougall, navigator,
W/O James Gerald Breen, bomb aimer,
Sgt James Richard Bell, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Earl Stewart Rheaume, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X off Westkapelle: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1943 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE184
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Westkapelle
Zeeland
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 Burn at 2320LT on June 11 on an operation to Düsseldorf. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 22 km west of Westkapelle. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O William Dunsmore Eaglesham, pilot,
F/O Lewis Charles Long, navigator,
P/O Henry Tudor McAusland, bomb aimer,
P/O Joseph Howard Burrow, wireless operator,
Sgt Bernard Hamilton Stephenson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Maastricht: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 30, 1943 at 0043 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE203
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Maastricht
Limburg
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 Burn at 2310LT on May 29 on an operation to Wuppertal. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Hees, a district of Maastricht. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur Holdsworth Smith, pilot,
Sgt James Henry Bloxwich, navigator,
F/Sgt Alan Spence, bomb aimer,
Sgt Benjamin King, wireless operator,
Sgt Martin Levi Buxton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Oostrum: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1943 at 0124 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE990
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Oostrum
Limburg
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Burn at 2345LT on May 25 on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Oostrum, east of Venray. Three crew members were killed and two became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Robert Turnbull Barclay, pilot,
F/O Albert Carey Bonner, navigator, †
Sgt Michael Charles Jefferies, wireless operator, †
Sgt Kenneth Dix,
Sgt Harold Sweet, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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