Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Knapsack: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 2124 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4336
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds
Location:
Knapsack
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 1852LT on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Knapsack. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Francis Stewart Crichton Cook, pilot,
Sgt John Newton Town, flight engineer,
Sgt Charles Derrick Smith, navigator,
Sgt Eric James Davey, bomb aimer,
Sgt Hugh Woodfield, wireless operator,
Sgt Tom McCall, air gunner,
Sgt Douglas Reynold South, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Knapsack: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 2117 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR669
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Knapsack
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1853LT on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Michael Gerrard Gibbons, pilot,
Sgt Henry Easton Bradshaw, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Edward Russell, flight engineer,
Sgt Louis John Langham, navigator,
Sgt John Leslie Wilson, bomb aimer,
P/O Leonard James Dowdall, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Stanley Richings, air gunner,
Sgt John William Hunt, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Potez 62.0 in Knapsack: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1939 at 1213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Potez 62 (62.0 & 62.1)
Operator:
Registration:
F-ANPJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Paris – Cologne – Berlin
MSN:
3926/4
YOM:
1935
Location:
Knapsack
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Paris to Berlin with an intermediate stop in Cologne. While on approach to Cologne-Butzweilerhof Airport, the crew encountered poor visibility. Some 7 km south of the airfield, the aircraft named 'Courlis' collided with a chimney and crashed in Knapsack, bursting into flames. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
André Tellet-Larente, pilot,
Jean-Pierre Pain, copilot,
René Harrault, radio navigator,
Guy Baranton, engineer.
Passengers:
Raoul Civet, journalist,
Mr. Buchalowski.
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