Zone
Norfolk

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

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1942 at 1352 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
AL754
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Great Massingham AFB
Norfolk
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 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
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
AH740
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Katwijk aan Zee
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
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
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
Z2252
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
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 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
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
AL737
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Ouddorp
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
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
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
Z2269
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
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 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
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
AL284
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Le Havre
Seine-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
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
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
Z2164
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Le Havre
Seine-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
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.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III in Courtrai: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1942 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
Z2157
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Courtrai-Wevelgem
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
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 1400LT on an operation to Courtrai-Wevelgem Airport. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near the airfield. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Philip Rex Barr, pilot,
F/O Walter Barford, navigator,
P/O Thomas Trotter, wireless operator,
W/O Neil Seymour Hunter Phillips, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III near Houthulst: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1942 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
Z2179
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Location:
Houthulst
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
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 1127LT on an operation to Pont-à-Vendin, near Lens. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Houthulst. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Henry Philemon Collings, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Tebbutt, navigator,
Sgt Stanley Walter Nash, wireless operator,
Sgt Francis Rex Pickering, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Great Massingham

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1942 at 0513 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
BB192
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Great Massingham 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 Melbourne at 0002LT on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following morning, the crew diverted to RAF Great Massingham. After landing, the Halifax ran off the end of the runway, went through the boundary fence and came to rest with its undercarriage smashed. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
F/O K. Munro,
Sgt A. L. Longworthy,
Sgt C. M. Arriett,
Sgt G. T. Butler,
Sgt F. S. Devereux,
Sgt Robinson,
Sgt G. C. McDougle.
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