Celtic Sea

The aircraft departed RAF Newquay-St Mawgan on a training exercise over the Celtic Sea with the HMS Brighton's vessel, on behalf of the 201st Squadron based at RAF Kinloss. While simulating an aerial attack of the HMS Brighton and descending at low height, the pilot-in-command lost control of the airplane that crashed into the Celtic Sea. Two crew members were quickly rescued while nine others were killed.
Crew:
Lt Cdr Christopher Brian Schofield, †
F/Lt Joseph Dennis Fillion, †
S/Ldr Brian Campbell Letechford, †
F/Lt Frank Raymond Hollins, †
F/Lt Edward Thomas Spicer, †
F/Lt Peter John Stowell, †
F/O Keith Robert Gordon, †
F/Sgt John Francis Gent, †
Sgt Arthur Brown, †
Sgt E. Bradshaw,
Sgt R. M. Collins.

The aircraft left RAF St Eval at 1020LT for a 15 hours training mission, preceded by six minutes from a first RAF Avro 696 Shackleton MR.2 registered WG531 and carrying nine crew members as well. The last radio contact was recorded at 2058LT and two minutes later, both aircraft disappeared simultaneously. SAR operations were conducted but all operations were suspended few days later as no trace of both aircraft nor the 18 crew members was found. More than eleven years later, a fisherman found in is fishnet the engine number four from the Shackleton registered WL743 about 75 miles north of the assumed collision point.
Crew (42nd Squadron):
P/O L. W. Wood, pilot,
Sgt H. Davies, pilot,
F/O N. Horrocks, navigator,
F/O G. Molyneux, navigator,
Sgt D. Male, flight engineer,
Mst I. O. Cathcart, air signaler,
Sgt C. W. Scott, air signaler,
Sgt R. E. Ridgers, air signaler,
Sgt L. W. Cooper, air signaler.

The aircraft left RAF St Eval at 1014LT for a 15 hours training mission, followed six minutes later by a second RAF Avro 696 Shackleton MR.2 registered WL743 and carrying nine crew members as well. The last radio contact was recorded at 2058LT and two minutes later, both aircraft disappeared simultaneously. SAR operations were conducted but all operations were suspended few days later as no trace of both aircraft nor the 18 crew members was found. More than eleven years later, a fisherman found in is fishnet the engine number four from the Shackleton registered WL743 about 75 miles north of the assumed collision point.
Crew (42nd Squadron):
F/O G. Board, pilot,
F/O K. G. Richards, pilot,
F/O G. Rogers, navigator,
F/O B. H. Webb, navigator,
F/Sgt M. G. Rae, air signaler,
Sgt L. R. Swann, air signaler,
Sgt J. T. Goodwin, air signaler,
Sgt E. J. Morgan, air signaler,
Sgt G. Thompson, air signaler.

The crew left RAF Saint Eval to conduct a training mission consisting of a submarine attack. In unknown circumstances, the aircraft crashed into the Celtic Sea off the Cornwall coast. All seven crew members were killed.

The airplane departed RAF Predannack on a flight to Algiers-Maison Blanche Airport with an intermediate stop in Gibraltar. On board were 11 crew members, among them Brigadier General Asa North Duncan (Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Eighth Air Force) who was flying to North Africa to witness Operation Torch. The aircraft was flying in loose formation at about 400 feet when it was seen with one engine on the right wing on fire. The formation had been flying about one hour after departure from Predannack and was about 145 km west of Brest, France. A propeller was feathered and the whole wing appeared to be on fire. Moments later it crashed in the Celtic Sea enveloped in a sheet of flames and sank immediately. One man was seen in a dinghy and five or six other in the water with Mae Wests. The men were over flown in the next hour by another B-17 and later by other aircraft but no one was rescued. Two bodies were later recovered and the rest of the crew and passenger were never located.
Crew:
Br Gen Asa North Duncan,
Maj John M. Knox,
1st Lt Leslie S. Birleson,
1st Lt Clark M. Garber Jr.,
1st Lt Joshua Kaplan,
1st Lt John C. Roysden,
T/Sgt Paul W. Padgett,
S/Sgt Roger J. Arendt,
S/Sgt Arthur B. Spell,
Sgt Lilburn L. Haddox,
Sgt Welcome L. Talbot.

The airplane departed RAF Ingham at 1715LT for a mine laying operation off Brittany. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the Celtic Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew.
F/O W. Zubrzycki,
P/O J. Sawicki,
Sgt M. Osciak,
Sgt Z. Kozlowski,
Sgt T. Treutler.

The airplane departed RAF Marham to lay mines in the French coastal waters. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the Celtic Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Aitken,
F/Sgt James William Newman,
Sgt Eric Featherstonhaugh Stanley,
Sgt Arthur Kay Taylor-Thomas,
Sgt Gerald Osmond Tyler.

The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall to lay mines of Saint-Nazaire. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the Celtic Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
W/O Eliner Knud Alfred Andersen, pilot,
F/Sgt Athol Ian McDonogh,
F/Sgt Arthur Hector Robitaille,
Sgt George Stead,
F/Sgt Richard Charles Stuart.

The airplane departed RAF St Eval at 1145LT to attack the tanker named 'Coruna' cruising north of Spain. It is believed that it was shot down by enemy fire while attacking the tanker and failed to return to base. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O Archibald Leonard Searby, pilot,
P/O Arthur Eaton, flight engineer,
Sgt Ian Verdun Witham, navigator,
Sgt Albert Eric Townsend, bomb aimer,
F/O Rupert Alexander Haig, wireless operator,
Sgt David Canet, air gunner,
Sgt Samuel Richard Vowles, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Binbrook to lay mines off the west coast of France. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the Celtic Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew.
P/O John Patrick Muirhead, pilot,
F/Sgt Eric Waple, observer,
Sgt Cyril Waldron, wireless operator,
Sgt Charles Henry Durrant, air gunner,
Sgt William Joseph Brazier, air gunner.