Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Pfalzdorf: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1943 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT635
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lissett - Lissett
Location:
Pfalzdorf
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 Lissett at 1942LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Pfalzdorf, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Lt John Denis Cole, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Gowing, flight engineer,
P/O Ronald Claude Stemp, navigator,
Sgt Bertram James Warr, navigator,
Sgt Albert Ward, wireless operator,
P/O William Albert Robinson, air gunner,
P/O Clifford George Dawson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Schnelsen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943 at 0118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR757
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lissett - Lissett
Location:
Schnelsen
Hamburg
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 Lissett at 2211LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. Over Hamburg, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Schnelsen, in the northwest suburb of the city. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Harry Holcombe, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Dawson, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Henry Frederick Roger Stettiner, observer,
F/Sgt Harold Vernon Tracey, observer,
F/Sgt John Henry Dillon, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert McGregor Wilson, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Milne, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Bremen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1943 at 2231 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR753
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Lissett - Lissett
Location:
Bremen
Bremen
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lissett at 2001LT on an operation to Berlin. Over Bremen, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed at the main railway station. Two crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Edward Charles Hibburt, pilot, †
Sgt William Henry Penrose, flight engineer, †
Sgt Joseph Bertram Kelly, navigator,
P/O Harry Bostock Pearson, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Granville Hawkesworth, wireless operator,
Sgt Raymond Douglas Harding, air gunner,
F/Sgt Michael Briton Budd, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Marson-sur-Barboure: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1943 at 2232 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT748
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lissett - Lissett
Location:
Marson-sur-Barboure
Meuse
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lissett at 1928LT on an operation to Stuttgart. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Marson-sur-Barboure. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Harold Edmund Witham, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Frederick Smith, flight engineer,
Sgt Thomas Charles Laws, observer,
Sgt John Harris, navigator,
P/O Philip Grenville Lyon, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Edward Ashdown, air gunner,
Sgt Benjamin Harvey Bishop, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Samlesbury

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1943 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT505
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lissett - Samlesbury
Location:
Samlesbury
Lancashire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lissett at 1045LT on a training flight and hit an obstruction. The crew continued the exercise and the airplane crash landed at Samlesbury Aerodrome and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. Wyllie, pilot +4.
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