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Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston IIIA near RAF West Malling

Date & Time: May 15, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
BZ260
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
MSN:
7554
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1540LT on an operation to Poix-de-Picardie. On return, it crashed for unknown reasons while on approach to RAF West Malling. A crew bailed out and parachuted to safety while three other occupants remained on board and were injured.
Crew:
Sgt W. C. Truxler, pilot,
Sgt D. D. H. Skipp,
Sgt S. E. Millbank,
Sgt A. S. Brady.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston IIIA off IJmuiden: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1943 at 1756 LT
Operator:
Registration:
BZ227
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
MSN:
7521
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1653LT on an operation to IJmuiden. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the North Sea 8 km west of IJmuiden. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Frank Sleigh Harrop, pilot,
F/O Herbert Horatio Gauntlett, navigator,
F/Sgt Richard Butler, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston IIIA at RAF Great Massingham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1943 at 1215 LT
Operator:
Registration:
BZ324
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
MSN:
7618
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Great Massingham, while on a local training exercise, the airplane went out of control and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Crew:
Lt G. A. A. de Gramont, pilot.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III at RAF Great Massingham

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1942 at 1352 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AL754
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1121LT on an operation to Eindhoven. It was badly shot about by the German Flak and crash landed at base. The airplane slid, wheels up, through an airfield defense position and was damaged beyond repair. All four crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt G. E. T. Nichols, pilot,
Sgt R. J. Hathaway,
Sgt L. H. R. Osborne,
Sgt W. J. Leslie, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot about by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston IIIA off Katwijk aan Zee: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1942 at 1259 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AH740
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1122LT on an operation to Eindhoven. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 6 km west off Katwijk aan Zee. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Peter Hiley Dutton, pilot,
F/Lt Norman Henry Shepherd, observer,
F/Lt Robert William McCarthy, wireless operator,
P/O M. Louis Delanchy, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1942 at 1252 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z2252
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1122LT on an operation to Eindhoven. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea, probably off the North Beveland Island. Lost without trace.
Crew:
W/O Alan Johnstone Reid, pilot,
F/O Derrick Redvers Redbourn, navigator,
F/Sgt William John Alton Spriggs, wireless operator,
P/O John William Beck, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Ouddorp: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1942 at 1250 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AL737
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1122LT on an operation to Eindhoven. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Ouddorp. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Cecil Albert Maw, pilot,
F/Sgt Harold Eric Wilson, observer,
Sgt Ronald Arthur Barnes, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
Z2269
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1554LT on an Air Sea Rescue operation, searching for a missing Mosquito raid on Vlissingen. The airplane failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew.
F/O Francis Charles Hammond, pilot,
Sgt Charles McCreedy,
F/Sgt Kenneth Elwood Stilborn,
Sgt George Tough.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Le Havre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
AL284
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1313LT on an operation to Le Havre. Approaching the target area, it collided with a second RAF Boston registered Z2164 and also carrying four crew members. Both airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Le Havre. All eight crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
P/O William Robert Norval Davidson, pilot,
F/O James Allan Logan, navigator,
Sgt Gilbert George May Battison, wireless operator,
Sgt James Watt Fenton, air gunner.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Le Havre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
Z2164
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1320LT on an operation to Le Havre. Approaching the target area, it collided with a second RAF Boston registered AL284 and also carrying four crew members. Both airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Le Havre. All eight crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Hugh McManus, pilot,
Sgt John Bell,
Sgt Alan Frank Goff,
Sgt Howard Yorke Torr, air gunner.