Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1940 at 0305 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1347
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
1511
YOM:
1939
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Driffield at 1935 on April 11 on a reconnaissance mission for enemy shipping in the Skagerak and Kattegat. A last w/t was heard at 0305LT then the aircraft disappeared into the sea. No trace was found.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O George Edgar Saddington, pilot,
P/O Christopher Rendel Hebeler,
Sgt John Raleigh Ibbotson,
Cpl Oscar Haire,
AC1 Peter William Simpson Chalmers.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Driffield

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1940 at 2240 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1368
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
1532
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a low level bombing practice exercise, the aircraft was returning to RAF Driffield. At the end of the landing run, the pilot braked but due to the wet grass runway, the aircraft skidded and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It went through the boundary fence, crossed a road and came to rest in a field. All five occupants escaped unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (77th Squadron):
P/O Kenneth Neil Gray, pilot,
Sgt John Hamilton Hopper, pilot,
Sgt Frederick John Bass, observer,
AC1 Alfred William Henry Hart, wireless operator,
AC2 George Main, air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Pernis: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1940 at 0530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1357
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Driffield at 2305LT on March 27 on a reconnaissance mission over Germany. During the back trip to UK, the bomber strayed into the Dutch airspace and was shot down by the pilot of a Dutch fighter before crashing in flames in Pernis, southwest of Rotterdam. A crew member was killed while all four other occupants were rescued. It is possible the that Sgt Miller have fallen from the airplane just seconds prior to the final impact.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O T. J. Geach,
F/O W. P. Copinger,
Sgt J. E. Miller, †
LAC S. H. E. Caplin,
AC2 R. B. Barrie.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Dutch fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley in Gerolstein: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
N1351
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission over Germany and left RAF Driffield at 2240LT on March 27. While flying over the region of Prüm, the aircraft was hit by Flak and crashed in an open field located in Gerolstein, some 18 km northeast of Prüm. A crew member was killed while all four other occupants were taken POW.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O J. B. J. Boardman,
P/O G. L. Norman, †
Sgt W. R. Taylor,
LAC J. Masters,
AC1 W. Cowle.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1939 at 2315 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1358
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
1522
YOM:
1939
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed RAF Driffield at 1850LT on 24 October and headed for the ports of Hamburg and Wilhelmshaven. At 2315LT, a w/t signal was intercepted, indicating a position 60 miles off the East coast of UK. SAR operation did not find any trace of the aircraft nor the crew.
Crew (77th Squadron):
P/O Philip Edwin William Walker, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Austin Bigger, pilot,
Sgt George Jonathan Burrell, observer,
AC1 Alexander Bernard Bogle MacDonald, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 James Alfred Topham, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley IV in Geinsheim am Rhein: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1939
Operator:
Registration:
K8947
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Villeneuve-les-Vertus - Driffield
MSN:
1400
YOM:
1938
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Villeneuve-les-Vertus at 1850LT on October 15 with Munich as target (leaflet dropping mission). En route, the aircraft went off course and was overflying Frankfurt at night when it was shot down by the German Flak. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing in a field when the aircraft crashed in Geinsheim am Rhein, about 30 km southwest of Frankfurt. Four crew members became PoW and the captain was killed.
Crew (77th Squadron):
F/O Roland Williams, pilot, †
LAC Reginald Enrath Fletcher,
Cpl A. R. Gunston,
Sgt James William Lambert,
F/O John Tilsley.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to respond to a recall signal and when last heard on w/t, it was assumed that the bomber was on course for RAF Driffield.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley IV near RAF Driffield: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1939 at 1505 LT
Operator:
Registration:
K8958
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
1411
YOM:
1938
Flight number:
302
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While flying at an altitude of some 600 feet two miles north of RAF Driffield, the starboard elevator trim tab failed, causing the aircraft to go into a dive. Despite full backward pressure on the control column on part of the pilot-in-command, he was unable to prevent the crash landing. The aircraft hit the ground at a speed of 100 mph with the undercarriage locked down. Four crew members were injured and the pilot P/O Robert Clare Bisset was killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight following the failure of the starboard elevator trim tab.

Ground accident of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley III in Buc

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1939 at 0645 LT
Operator:
Registration:
K8961
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield – Buc – Essen
MSN:
1414
YOM:
1938
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After landing at Buc Airport, the crew vacated the runway to reach his parking place when the aircraft collided with a parked Dewoitine. All five crew men evacuated safely while both aircraft were damaged beyond repair. The visibility was poor due to foggy conditions. The crew was from 77th Squadron.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley III in Kassel

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1939
Operator:
Registration:
K8950
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
1403
YOM:
1938
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The bomber departed RAF Driffield at 2355LT on 08SEP1939 with the Ruhr as objective (leaflet dropping). Apparently shot down by the German Flak, the airplane crashed near Kassel. All five crew members from the 102nd Squadron became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Stephen Murray, pilot,
P/O Alan Thompson, pilot,
Sgt Charles Hill, observer,
AC1 Sam Burry, wireless operator,
AC1 Peter Pacey, gunner.
Probable cause:
Probably shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow I in Owstwick

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1938
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
K6954
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington – Driffield
YOM:
1937
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
315
Circumstances:
En route from RAF Honington to RAF Driffield, one of the engine failed due to icing. The captain attempted an emergency landing in an open field located in Owstwick, some 17 km east of Hull. The aircraft slid on the ground for few dozen metres before coming to rest against trees. All five crew members evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight due to icing.