Zone
Overijssel

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-95-BO Flying Fortress in Buurse: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1943 at 1527 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-30265
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Framlingham - Framlingham
MSN:
5379
YOM:
1942
Location:
Buurse
Overijssel
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Framlingham (Parham) in the morning on a bombing mission to Münster, Germany. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was firstly hit by Flak and then shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. The captain reduced his altitude and was able to perform an emergency landing in a field. A crew member (S/Sgt Lester S. Look Jr.) was killed while 8 others were taken PoW. The last one evaded. Crew from the 571st BS.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X near Buurse: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1943 at 0125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE281
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
Location:
Buurse
Overijssel
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 Dishforth at 2306LT on May 23 on an operation to Dortmund. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a field near Buurse. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (426th Squadron):
Sgt Leslie Gordon Sutherland, pilot,
Sgt William Dunkerley, navigator,
Sgt Sydney Jepson, bomb aimer,
W/O Kenneth Howard Masterson, wireless operator,
W/O Levie Afrien Rivest, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X near Buurse: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1943 at 0108 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE290
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kirmington - Kirmington
Location:
Buurse
Overijssel
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 Kirmington at 2319LT on May 23 on an operation to Dortmund. While cruising at night over the Netherlands at an altitude of 5,000 metres, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a field located near Buurse, south of Enschede, bursting into flames. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (166th Squadron):
Sgt Edward Silas Morris, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Victor George Alloway, navigator,
Sgt Harold Blamire Thompson, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Frederick Williamson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Joseph Robert Stewart, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Buurse: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 0220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT801
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Buurse
Overijssel
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 0023LT on an operation to Duisburg. While overflying the Netherlands at an altitude of 3,300 metres, it was shot down by a German fighter. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a field but the bomber crash landed and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. Two crew members were killed, the pilot evaded and four others became PoW.
Crew (35th Squadron):
S/L Douglas Julian Sale, pilot,
Sgt Clarence Washington Rowley, flight engineer,
F/O Geoffrey Edward Heard, navigator,
F/Lt Rupert Claude Sawyer, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Samuel Angus Moores, wireless operator,
Sgt David John Richards, air gunner, †
Sgt Ross Oliver Elford, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Buurse: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1942 at 2354 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1270
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds
Location:
Buurse
Overijssel
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2054LT on an operation to Kassel. Passing over the Netherlands at night at an altitude of 3,500 metres, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in an open field located southwest of Buurse, bursting into flames. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (103rd Squadron):
F/Lt James Rothwell Frith, pilot,
Sgt Walter Duncombe, flight engineer,
P/O Edward Arthur Rutherford Briant, observer,
Sgt George Hunter Wilson, bomb aimer,
Sgt John David Craig, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Barriemore Smallwood Blundall, wireless operator,
P/O Percival Gerald Hopkins, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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