Zone
Norfolk

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Ambérieu-en-Bugey: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
EH884
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Ambérieu-en-Bugey
Ain
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Downham Market at 2019LT on August 16 on a bombing mission to Torino, Italy. While flying over the east part of France at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field in Saint German en Bugey. A crew member was taken PoW, another evaded while five others were killed.
Crew (218th Squadron):
W/O S. F. Chudzik, †
Sgt D. Deans, †
Sgt C. E. Taylor, †
Sgt D. P. J. Rawlings, †
Sgt J. D. Bates, †
Sgt J. L. Paterson,
Sgt W. L. McKinnon.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III off Marken: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943 at 0449 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK716
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Marken
North Holland
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 Downham Market at 2130LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the IJsselmeer off Marken. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Frederick Harris, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Kennedy, flight engineer,
F/O Harry Gregory Farrington, navigator,
F/O John MIchael Campbell, bomb aimer,
Sgt Charles Armstrong Bell, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John Francis James McCaw, air gunner,
Sgt Leonard Richard James Shrubsall, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III near Syke: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943 at 0342 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK702
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Syke
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 2143LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. Passing south of Bremen, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed west of Syke, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O William George Hoar, pilot,
Sgt James Edward Turnbull, flight engineer,
Sgt Ronald Eric Jeffreys, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Albert Mears, bomb aimer,
Sgt Ernest Thomas Raymond Howard, wireless operator,
Sgt William Mitchell Robertson, air gunner,
F/Sgt John Hugh Murdock Fraser, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling in Dieppe-Saint-Aubin: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF343
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Dieppe-Saint-Aubin
Seine-Maritime
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 Downham Market at 1950LT on an operation to Stuttgart. It crashed in unknown circumstances near the Aerodrome of Dieppe-Saint-Aubin and was destroyed. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Gerald Andrew Parkinson, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Baron Percy Henry Heath, flight engineer,
Sgt Philip Percy Jobling, navigator,
P/O Joseph Millward, navigator,
Sgt Dennis Collins, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Colin James Campbell, air gunner,
Sgt James Hamilton Ross, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Essen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
R9333
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Essen
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 1929LT on an operation to Essen. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Kray, in the east suburb of the city. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O George Arthur Ratcliffe, pilot,
Sgt James Turner, flight engineer,
Sgt David Henry Melville, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Edwin Waddington, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Keith Ronald Heming,
Sgt John Thomas Charlton, air gunner,
Sgt William Thomas Hurl, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Themelthorpe

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1943 at 0245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK666
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Themelthorpe
Norfolk
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 Downham Market at 1900LT on March 1st on an operation to Berlin. Over the target area, it encountered heavy Flak and later in the vicinity of Kiel. On regaining the East Anglia coast, it came out of cloud and crashed at 0245LT at Themelthorpe. All seven crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O G. F. Berridge, pilot,
Sgt K. F. Erne,
Sgt L. A. Oakley,
P/O T. C. Wheelhouse,
P/O C. V. Parsloe,
Sgt A. A. Fitzpatrick,
Sgt J. A. Bolton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Downham Market

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1943 at 1815 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
R9189
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Downham Market AFB
Norfolk
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 Downham Market at 1815LT but swung violently to starboard. While trying to recover the situation, the undercarriage collapsed and the Stirling was damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O E. B. Cozens, pilot,
Sgt G. Mathias,
F/Sgt B. B. Hosick,
Sgt F. W. Hales,
Sgt L. T. Chessel,
Sgt J. A. Pidgen,
Sgt J. Anderson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during the takeoff roll and subsequent undercarriage collapsed.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Rheinau: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 0018 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF450
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Rheinau
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 1940LT on February 25 on an operation to Nuremberg. Passing the French/German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed on the east bank of the Rhine River, in Rheinau. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Raymond William White, pilot,
Sgt James Christopher Wade, flight engineer,
W/O George Mathews, navigator,
Sgt Lloyd Lincoln Stuart, bomb aimer,
Sgt Harry Victor Werner, wireless operator,
W/O Sgt Kenneth Ian Young, air gunner,
Sgt John William Hearn, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1943 at 2105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF408
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Zoutelande
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 1847LT on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Zoutelande. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Stanley Leonard Treves, pilot,
F/O Peter Clyde Astrosky, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Hargreaves, flight engineer,
F/O George Charles Bellman, navigator,
Sgt John Gallagher, bomb aimer,
Sgt Charles Henry Yoxall, wireless operator,
Sgt James Trueman Bostock, air gunner,
Sgt George Thomas Kennington, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Deelen AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1943 at 2041 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF406
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Deelen AFB
Gelderland
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 Downham Market at 1835LT on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Deelen AFB. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Joseph Dodd, pilot,
Sgt Matthew Bean Holden, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Richard Charles Selby, observer,
W/O Robert John Thomas Lynn, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Frank Campbell Stewart, wireless operator,
Sgt Denis Graham Heath, air gunner,
F/Sgt Howard William Traver, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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