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Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Bodney

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3603
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honingt
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1934LT on March 12 on an operation to Kiel. It is believed that it was hit by the German Flak, damaging the starboard engine. On return, the crew tried to land at RAF Bodney but the airplane crashed short of runway. All six crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt Webb,
Sgt Vickers,
P/O V. W. Saul,
Sgt A. Swiderski,
Sgt J. Rutherford,
Sgt F. C. Evans.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine after being hit by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Harleston: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1942 at 2122 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3643
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2008LT on an operation to Essen. The crew experienced severe engine troubles and decided to return to base. While doing so control was lost and the airplane crashed near Haleston, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt James Cartwright, pilot,
Sgt John Andrew Rogers, pilot,
W/O Terence De Valera Digna, observer,
Sgt Thomas Hunter Errington, wireless operator,
Sgt David Stanley Nicholas, air gunner,
Sgt Albert Edward Singerton Barking, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine problems.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1942 at 0411 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3641
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 0031LT on an operation to Essen. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Joseph Doughty,
P/O Thomas George Hubert Gulliver,
Sgt James Heslop,
Sgt Ewen Ritchie Stirling,
F/O Cyril Douglas Waddingham,
F/Sgt Derek Shergold Drury Welsh.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3411
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 0028LT on an operation to Essen. In unknown circumstances, it crashed in the North Sea. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was rescued 33 hours later by a trawler.
Crew:
Sgt William Henry Bowers, †
Sgt William Leslie Cooke, †
Sgt Robert James Tristem Lovell, †
Sgt Douglas William Peacey, †
P/O Thomas William Warwick Woodford, †
P/O Ralph Pickard Hoult.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Clacton-on-Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1942 at 1532 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3398
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1532LT on a training exercise. In unknown circumstances, it crashed into the sea some 300 yards off Clacton-on-Sea. Five crew members were killed and two others were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt John Wilson Dalgliesh, pilot, †
Sgt Frederick Ernest Coulson, observer, †
Sgt William Hutchinson, wireless operator, †
Sgt Hedley Brown, air gunner, †
Cpt G. R. Buck, †
Sgt W. E. McCartney,
Sgt E. Onions.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near RAF Honington

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1942 at 2235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z9847
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waterbeach - Waterbeach
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waterbeach at 1710LT on an operation to Emden. Badly shot about a night fighter, it crash landed near RAF Honington. All six crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt T. Dignan,
Sgt K. S. W. Norman,
Sgt Seymour,
Sgt Carter,
F/Sgt Hood,
F/Sgt Green.
Probable cause:
Hit by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Honington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1942 at 0735 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3388
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 0340LT on an operation to Brest. Shortly after reaching the target area, the port engine failed and most of the return flight was made on one engine. The airplane crashed at 0735LT after colliding with trees while trying to land at base. A crew was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
P/O M. R. Hodges,
Sgt R. Short,
Sgt L. A. Dwen,
Sgt A. W. Mount,
2nd Lt J. M. Pullan,
Sgt Charles William Mills, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III of Herne Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3287
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1713LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base the following evening and while crossing the Dutch coast, the starboard engine caught fire. The airplane was abandoned by the crew and crashed into the sea off Herne Bay, Kent. Two crew members drowned and four others were injured and rescued.
Crew:
Sgt Gerald Gordon Armstrong, pilot, †
Sgt W. T. Ramey, pilot,
Sgt Peter William Bilsborough, air gunner, †
Sgt J. J. Amphlett,
Sgt K. W. Stevens,
Sgt J. Rutherford.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF East Wretham

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1941 at 2210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3352
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1731LT on an operation to Hamburg. Hit by Flak in the port engine while north of the city. With only one engine, the pilot was able to fly back to England and diverted to RAF East Wretham where the airplane crashed in a wood while trying to land. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt W. E. Pendleton,
Sgt J. Cartwright,
Sgt A. N. Jenkins,
Sgt H. G. Cawdron,
Sgt W. C. Sadler,
Sgt D. S. Nicholas.
Probable cause:
Hit by Flak and engine failure.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in the Waddenzee: 6 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1941 at 2209 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3280
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1730LT on an operation to Hamburg. In the evening, it crashed in unknown circumstances in the Waddenzee, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt George Herbert Dartnall, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Bamber Fielding,
Sgt Reginald Burchell How,
Sgt Kenneth Quick,
F/Sgt William Smithson,
P/O Hugh Vincent Wilgar-Robinson.