Zone
Suffolk

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Honington

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1941 at 0224 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3347
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Honington AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1945LT on September 30 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it crashed on approach to the airbase. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O H. P. Harrison-Yates,
Sgt J. J. W. Hurley,
Sgt S. F. Hall,
Sgt A. S. Barron,
Sgt L. M. Ramsey,
Sgt A. Taylor.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Sondrio: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1941 at 0208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1279
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Sondrio
Lombardy
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1934LT on September 28 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night and after passing the area of Milan, it is believed that it was shot down by enemy fire. The crew reported engine problems then the airplane crashed in the Italian Alps, apparently in the region of Sondrio. The wreckage was not found.
Crew:
F/Sgt Walter Stanley Kitson, pilot,
P/O John Roy Freeland, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Gordon Gove, observer,
Sgt James Williamson Lee, wireless operator,
Sgt John Richard Palmer, wireless operator,
Sgt John Alfred McLean, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Rushford: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1941 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3222
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Rushford
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2002LT on an operation to Emden. While returning to base in the late evening, it crashed in a field in Rushford, east of Thatford. Three crew members were killed and three others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Harry William White, pilot, †
P/O John Baldwin Thompson, observer, †
Sgt Raymond George Lifford, wireless operator, †
Sgt S. Gingle,
Sgt J. A. Chisholm,
Sgt J. A. Lovis.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Terwispel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1941 at 0459 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z8845
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Terwispel
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2030LT on September 7 on an operation to Berlin. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Terwispel. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Jack Cyril Saich, pilot,
Sgt Robert Arthur Banks, pilot,
F/Sgt Walter Basil Lowe, observer,
Sgt William Ronald Balls, wireless operator,
Sgt Eric Trott, wireless operator,
Sgt Alan Scotland MacDonald, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Honington

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1941 at 0445 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1499
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Honington AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2014LT on September 7 on an operation to Berlin. It crash landed at 0445LT on return to base, due to a mistaken assumption that the aircraft had run out of petrol. A fire broke out and the Wellington was destroyed. There were no injuries.
Crew:
F/Sgt A. H. Webborn,
Sgt F. Wilmot,
Sgt H. R. Anderson,
P/O F. W. Boyle,
Sgt D. Shepherd,
Sgt J. V. Cassidy.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Lille

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1941 at 0312 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
W5703
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Lille
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2235LT on August 26 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night, the crew sent a mayday message at 0207LT indicating engine trouble on leaving the target area. Last heard at 0312LT then crashed in the vicinity of Lille. All six crew members were rescued, three became PoW and three evaded.
crew:
S/L Harry Emlyn Bufton,
Sgt Samuel Murray,
Sgt John Thomas Stickles,
Sgt Roger Plyer Wright,
Sgt W. F. Crampton,
Sgt K. B. Read.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Højer: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1941 at 0035 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1455
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Højer
Syddanmark
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2114LT on August 19 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, it crashed into the sea some 2 km south of Højer. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Patrick John Brady, pilot,
Sgt Cecil Thomas Everitt, pilot,
Sgt Henry Bruce Stirling Johnston, observer,
Sgt Thomas Whalley, wireless operator,
Sgt Herbert Edward Temple, air gunner,
F/Sgt Thomas Armstrong, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Weddewarden: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941 at 0115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1513
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Weddewarden
Bremen
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2129LT on August 12 on an operation to Kiel. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Weser Estuary off Weddewarden. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Kenneth Rhodes Ball, pilot,
Sgt Sidney Wintersgill, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Harry Chandler, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward Cullen,
Sgt Arthur Thomas Hatton,
Sgt Thomas Edward McGeragle, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Anderlingen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941 at 0050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1341
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Anderlingen
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2120LT on August 12 on an operation to Hannover. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed near Anderlingen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew.
Sgt Eric Lewin, pilot,
Sgt G. B. Smith, pilot,
Sgt John Archdale Lennard, observer,
Sgt Hugh Forster Barron, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Charles William Albert Wells, wireless operator,
Sgt Ronald Ramsay Passmore, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Honington

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N3656
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Honington AFB
Suffolk
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 Wyton in the evening of August 12 on an operation to Berlin. It was badly damaged by enemy action and the crew diverted to RAF Honington for an emergency landing. With unserviceable hydraulics and a propeller shot away, the airplane crashed upon landing and was damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O J. E. M. Conran,
P/O S.P. Edgehill,
Sgt Spicer,
P/O H. V. D. Bonney,
F/Sgt Munns,
Sgt Ward,
Sgt McMahon.
Probable cause:
Damaged by enemy action.
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