Lakenheath AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 2121LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. In unknown circumstances, it crashed in Lindenberg, 12 km northeast of Berlin city center. Six crew members were killed and an air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ian Thomson Stirrat Fulton, pilot, †
Sgt John William Houlgrave, flight engineer, †
Sgt Arthur James Crosson, navigator, †
Sgt Ellis Drury Edwards, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Eric George Hunt, wireless operator, †
Sgt Raymond Percy Thomas Saunders, air gunner, †
W/O Charles Leonard Blackford, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Loerbeek: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2119 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

EF330

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1938LT on an operation to Essen. Southeast of Arnhem, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Loerbeek. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Fred Alwyn Pearson, pilot,
Sgt Victor Page, pilot,
Sgt Jack Misseldine, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Phillip Holmes Skinner, observer,
F/O Greaton Wesley Sellers, navigator,
Sgt William Hugh Clayton, wireless operator,
P/O Lionel Hubert Rogers Binning, air gunner,
W/O George William Miller, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 0259 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

EF327

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 2000LT on March 11 on an operation to Stuttgart. On return to base, it landed at 0259LT whereupon an engine failed and the Stirling swung off the runway, coming to a stop with its undercarriage collapsed. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O I. T. S. Fulton, pilot,
Sgt J. W. Houlgrave,
Sgt A. J. Crosson,
Sgt E. D. Edwards,
Sgt E. G. Hunt,
Sgt L. H. Casserley,
Sgt C. L. Blackford, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on landing.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Sudbury

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 0300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

EF328

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1945LT on March 8 on an operation to Nuremberg. While returning to base the following night, both starboard engines failed and the airplane crash landed near Sudbury and was destroyed. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O G. T. P. Southall, pilot,
Sgt H. Murray,
Sgt D. A. Nicol,
P/O R. R. Clifton,
Sgt J. K. Dawes,
P/O G. P. Read,
F/Sgt H. I. Stott, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Failure of both starboard engines in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura near RAF Lakenheath: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1943 at 2040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

Operator:

Registration:

AE680

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

MSN:

4023

YOM:

1942

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to RAF Lakenheath following a low level training exercise when the airplane crashed for unknown reasons at Sharp's Corner on Grime Fen. All three crew members were killed.
Crew.
Sgt Bernard James O'Donnell, pilot,
Sgt J. R. McCormick,
F/Sgt James William Billing.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Gueutteville: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

BK692

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1853LT on March 1st on an operation to Berlin. Over the target area, it was badly shot about by a German fighter. Despite the situation, the crew was able to leave the area but over France, the airplane was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Gueutteville. Three crew members were killed and five became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt R. E. Richman, pilot, †
P/O R. J. Taylor,
Sgt D. R. Clayton,
Sgt R. A. Nunn, †
Sgt R. H. Hale,
Sgt H. J. Gillingham,
Sgt D. A. Crofts, †
Sgt N. Thornley, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter and the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Boxmeer: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943 at 2105 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

W7638

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1848LT on an operation to Cologne. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed 2 km southwest of Boxmeer. Three crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Graham Gow, pilot, †
Sgt Paul Thomas Cyril Oldham, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Cecil Loughlin, navigator,
Sgt Valentine Wilfred Tulley, bomb aimer,
Sgt George Samuel Steven Reynolds, wireless operator,
Sgt James Cecil Brigden, air gunner,
Sgt William Anderson Summerson, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Lakenheath: 1killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1943 at 1915 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

R9334

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was returning to base at RAF Lakenheath following a practice bombing exercise. It overshot the runway and while trying to go around again, it crashed near the airfield. A crew was killed and six others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. L. Blair, pilot,
Sgt W. F. Johnson,
Sgt F. G. Giacomelli,
Sgt T. Whitelock, †
Sgt W. H. Clayton,
Sgt R. Zambra,
Sgt J. C. Barker, air gunner.

Probable cause:

A loss of power on the inner engine was considered as a major factor in the accident.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Brandon: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1942 at 2135 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

W7639

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1634LT to lay mines off Warnemünde. The crew encountered technical problems en route and returned early to base. Over Suffolk, the airplane went out of control and crashed in Brandon. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Philp, pilot,
Sgt William Stanley Hughes, flight engineer,
F/Sgt George Edward Hills, observer,
Sgt Frank Craven, wireless operator,
P/O Christopher William Higgins, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Thomas Harold Harris, air gunner,
F/Sgt Thomas Glenville Williams, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Unknown technical problems.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Warnemünde: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1942 at 1950 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

R9253

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

Location:

Warnemünde

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1635LT to lay mines off Warnemünde. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Laurence Theodore Izzard, pilot,
Sgt Daniel Patrick McAleese, flight engineer,
Sgt Philip Wedgwood Ditchburn,
F/Sgt Stephen Holroyd Hopkinson,
Sgt John Lind Strachan,
Sgt Fraser Hutchinson Watt,
Sgt Robert Henry Williams,
Sgt William Osborn, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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