Leeming AFB

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1956LT on an operation to Essen. In the late evening, while returning to base and cruising over the Netherlands at an altitude of 13,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Rotterdam. The bomb aimer was killed and all seven other crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O James Lago, pilot,
W/O Keith Oliver Perry, pilot,
Sgt Welland Wilfred Phipps, flight engineer,
F/O John Henry Colwell, navigator,
W/O Walter Stanley Beatty, bomb aimer, †
F/O William Henry Hoddinott, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Henry Champion Waugh, air gunner,
Sgt Amand Burns Granbois, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1958LT on an operation to Essen. In the late evening, passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Vierlingsbeek. Five crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
W/O William James McAlpine, pilot, †
Sgt Howard McQueen, flight engineer, †
W/O John Day White, navigator, †
F/Lt Floyd Edward Luxford, bomb aimer, †
W/O Joseph Walter Halikowski, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Ernest Bradley, air gunner,
F/Lt Wlliam Lawrence Murphy, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1952LT on an operation to Essen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Opheusden, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Ebenezer Alfred Sirett, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Oliver Brice, flight engineer,
W/O Maurice Gordon Church, navigator,
P/O Grant Alexander Fletcher, bomb aimer,
Sgt Gilbert Davies Boyer, wireless operator,
F/O John Dugald McBride, air gunner,
F/Sgt Franklyn Roy Burke, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2142LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following morning, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Stapelmoor, 10 km northwest of Papenburg. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Frank Napoleon Smith Cavanaugh, pilot,
Sgt Raymond Henry Holtham, flight engineer,
Sgt Thomas William Harris, navigator,
F/O Harold Edward Tanner, navigator,
Sgt Edwin Arthur Biggs, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Granite William Herrington, air gunner,
F/Sgt Walter Anthony Kopacz, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2127LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. Shortly after midnight, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Süderschmedeby, 15 km south of Flensburg. Six crew members were killed and a navigator became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Gordon Jennings, pilot, †
Sgt Harold Davenport, flight engineer, †
P/O John Sidney Acheson, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Stanley Victor Lewis-Staniford, navigator, †
Sgt Frederick John Cherry, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Norman William Roberts, air gunner, †
F/Sgt John Francis Barnes, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2000LT on March 27 on an operation to Berlin. While cruising near Hanover, it was hit by the German Flak which damaged both port engines and holed fuel tanks. Course was set for neutral Sweden and the Halifax later crash landed in Lindberg, some 64 km south southeast of Göteborg. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all seven crew members were interned.
Crew:
Sgt R. H. Batchelor, pilot,
Sgt H. L. Grayson,
Sgt H. Wein,
P/O R. V. Fisher,
Sgt R. E. Hall,
Sgt F. W. Grant,
Sgt A. G. Sieben, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1916LT on March 12 on an operation to Essen. After being hit by the German Flak, the crew was able to return to base and while on finals both port engines failed, causing the Halifax to yaw violently and crash near the airfield. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/O C. O. Hatle, pilot,
Sgt W. G. Kapuscinski,
F/O A. M. Stockdale,
Sgt S. F. Osmond,
P/O W. E. Rowland,
Sgt H. Richmond,
Sgt A. A. Tschantre, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1910LT on an operation to Stuttgart. Outbound at 20,000 feet, an engine on the port side cut. The bombs were jettisoned circa 2305LT near the target, but height could not be maintained and while on course for base at 8,500 feet, the Halifax was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Rozières. All seven crew members survived, three became PoW and four evaded.
Crew:
F/O Arnot Andrew Stewart, pilot,
Sgt J. A. Hammond, flight engineer,
F/Sgt David Duncan Patrick Leitch, navigator,
F/O George Herbert Lamus, bomb aimer,
Sgt Laurence Stanley Marsden, wireless operator,
Sgt R. D. Davidson, air gunner,
Sgt C. T. Hamilton, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1844LT on March 1st on an operation to Berlin. Shortly after midnight, while returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Zuidloo. Six crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
W/O Arnold Wallace Cochrane, pilot, †
Sgt Frederick Macdonald, flight engineer, †
W/O Harry Kenneth McCreery, navigator, †
W/O James Herbert Higgins, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt Ross Weiss, wireless operator, †
W/O Junius Quintus Ashmore, air gunner,
W/O Ivor Charles Grice, air gunner. †

The crew was performing a local training flight at RAF Leeming. While in the circuit, the airplane suffered a partial stripping of the wing surface. This caused the bomber to roll onto its back and dive onto the ground, the port wing breaking off between 1,800 and 1,500 feet. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Philip Edward Thompson Townsend, pilot,
F/Sgt Jack Wreakes, navigator,
F/O Samuel Spector, navigator,
P/O Ernest Maurice Hollowell, wireless operator,
P/O Kenneth Joseph Brown, air gunner.