Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Pornic: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3417
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Pornic
Loire-Atlantique
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 Coningsby at 2116LT on April 15 to lay mines in the River Loire. Approaching the target area, it crashed into the Bay of Bourgneuf off Pornic. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Joseph Sheffield, pilot,
Sgt John Roderick McRae, observer,
F/Sgt Roylance Kinsey, navigator,
Sgt Rex Valand Hagborg, navigator,
Sgt Dennis Shapley Hall, air gunner,
Sgt John James Smith, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Lee-on-Solent

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942 at 0655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7317
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Lee-on-the-Solent
Hampshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 2240LT on April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. Following an uneventful mission, the crew was returning to base when approaching the British coast, both engines failed due to fuel exhaustion. The captain decided to divert to the Lee-on-Solent NAS but the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea few hundred yards offshore. All seven crew members were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Crew (106th Squadron):
P/O J. A. Worswick,
Sgt Jones,
Sgt O'Hare,
F/Sgt Spiby,
Sgt Hutchieson,
Sgt Goodings,
Sgt Cartwright.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure due to a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Terschelling: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 29, 1942 at 2159 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7394
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
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 Coningsby at 1930LT on a mine laying operation. While approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed into the sea off Terschelling. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (106th Squadron):
F/Sgt Edgar Robert Dimond,
F/Sgt Henry Chaytor Bussell,
P/O Harold Selwyn Brough,
F/Sgt John Seery,
Sgt Donald Swaine,
Sgt Alexander Currie,
Sgt Francis Alfred Fry.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Kornwerderzand: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1942 at 2228 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7390
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Kornwerderzand
Friesland
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 Coningsby at 2000LT on an operation to Essen. While passing over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea (Ijsselmeer) off Kornwerderzand. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (106th Squadron):
F/Lt Robert Jack Dunlop-McKenzie, pilot,
P/O Peter Norman Cann, pilot,
Sgt Raymond Benjamin Burrows, flight engineer,
Sgt Kimber Hill, navigator,
F/Sgt Wilfred Deryck Welham, wireless operator,
Sgt William Grant McDonald, wireless operator,
Sgt John Joseph Stewart, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Coningsby

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1942 at 1445 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
L7531
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Coningsby AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training exercise at RAF Coningsby. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane crashed almost immediately when part of the port wing leading edge lifted, causing the bomber to career out of control and finish up, wrecked, near the station bomb dump. Miraculously, the crew escaped serious injury, despite smashing into a crane before coming to a stop.
Crew:
S/L T. H. Boylan +6.
Probable cause:
A technical failure occurred on the port leading edge flap shortly after liftoff. The flap went into a wrong position for such procedure, causing the airplane to crash.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Winceby

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1942 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7474
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Winceby
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Coningsby. Upon landing, the airplane bounced and the pilot initiated a go around manoeuvre. While climbing, the crew was unable to raise and lock the left main gear. It was decided to abandon the airplane that entered a dive and crashed 800 metres north of Winceby. All six crew members were uninjured.
Crew (106th Squadron):
Sgt G. K. Carter, pilot.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I on Sylt Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1942 at 0612 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P4323
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Sylt Island
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby on a mine laying operation. Approaching the German coast at night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed on Sylt Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Stanley Arthur Kent, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Stephen Anderson, observer,
Sgt Albert William Blake, wireless operator,
Sgt Stanley Ronald McLeod, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P4414
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1830LT on an operation to the Cologne - Koblenz area. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Derek Bishop, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Frank William Hirst, observer,
Sgt Norman Duke Wright, wireless operator,
Sgt Frank Henry Denton, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1942 at 1820 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE425
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Coningsby AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1820LT on an operation to Mannheim. Almost immediately after takeoff, at a height of just 40 feet, the left engine failed. The airplane swung violently and crashed into trees. All four crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O Horner,
Sgt Walker,
Sgt Hutcheson,
Sgt Porter.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine after liftoff.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
X3058
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1755LT on an operation to Münster. It was ditched in the North Sea off the East Anglia coast. All four crew members managed to get into a dinghy but when rescue came 16 hours later, only one crew was still alive. The others succumbed to the intense cold.
Crew:
Sgt C. H. J. Brown, pilot,
F/Sgt Alexander Granton Patrick, observer, †
Sgt Frederick William Baker, wireless operator, †
Sgt Robert William Antony Biddlecombe, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Icing conditions.
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