Marseille

The twin engine aircraft was performing a flight from Vélizy-Villacoublay to Marseille with three passengers and a pilot. En route, the crew encountered poor weather with severe icing conditions. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Les Moulins des Ponts, near Bény, some 18 km north of Bourg-en-Bresse. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Crew:
Maryse Hilsz, famous French aviation pilot and pioneer.
Passengers:
Lt Paul Rousset,
Lt Paul Bétou,
Lt Georges Merlin.

The aircraft was on its way from Palermo to London with released British soldiers returning home. While flying south of Marseille at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and was destroyed upon impact. On the scene, rescuers were able to evacuate a passenger seriously injured while 25 other occupants were killed. Few hours later, the only survivor died from his injuries. At the time of the accident, the visibility was poor due to snow falls and the aircraft was following a wrong path.
Crew (271st Squadron):
F/Lt William George Elliott Buchanan, pilot,
F/Sgt Edwin Alan Chapman, copilot,
W/O John Wyvill Suart, navigator,
F/O Ralph Nathaniel Smith, wireless operator.
Passengers:
LAC Stephen Michael Aungier,
LAC John Kendal Bond,
Drv Henry Canham,
LAC Charles George Cottle,
LAC Henry Cunningham,
LAC Gwilym Daniels,
LAC Ernest John Fessi,
Pvt John James Flanagan,
LAC Leonard Roy Fouracre,
Sap Eric Gardham,
LAC Trevor Ernest Giles,
LAC Ronald Gillingham,
Cpt Paul Verrier Isaac,
Cpt Wilfred Kendrick Lloyd,
Lt Peter Marriott,
Lt John Harold Nutt,
Cpl Walter Peacock,
Pvt Benjamin Price,
Lt Maurice Ernest Rennie,
Lt Robert Thomas Tobias,
Lt Stanley Charles Turner,
Cpt George Wood.

Enroute, while cruising along the Italian shore, the crew encountered poor weather with severe icing conditions and told ATC he wanted to divert to Rome Airport. Later, while in poor visibility due to clouds, the aircraft hit the slope of Monti della Meta located few km northeast of the Picinisco village. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was located by walkers in May 1946. It is believed that the crew misjudged the icing severity and the flight was not properly prepared. Heavy cumulus were present from 1,200 up to 5,000 meters.

The crew was completing a flight from Algiers-Maison Blanche Airport to Marseille-Marignane with three French passengers and a crew of four. While approaching Marseille from the east, the crew encountered poor visibility with foggy conditions. At an estimated altitude of 1,500 feet, the aircraft hit a hill located in Vitrolles, east of the airport. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (28th Squadron):
Lt Harry Noel Greenberg, pilot,
Lt A. F. Smith, copilot,
Cpl Trevor Griffiths, radio operator,
Lt Lloyd Charles Loram, navigator.
Passengers:
Lt Col Henri Marie Charles Thouvenin de Mirecourt,
Adj Siméon Chrétien,
Cpt Vincent Martinez.

Few minutes after take off from Algiers Airport, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. All 12 occupants were killed, among them the French Colonel Lionel de Marmier, faithful Officer of the General de Gaulle. He was flying back to Paris to take over the top management of Air France.
Crew:
Robert Guilloux, pilot,
Roger Henry, radio navigator,
Emile Guillot, flight engineer.
Passengers:
Col Lionel de Marmier,
Marcel Duclos.

On a flight from Marseille to Algiers, while overflying the Mediterranean Sea some 80 km from the destination, the seaplane was attacked by the pilots of four RAF Hurricanes. Bullets killed four passengers and the aircraft christened 'Mauritanie' sustained substantial damage. Nevertheless, the captain was able to fly to Algiers and landed safely. But shortly later, the aircraft sunk and was lost. All six other occupants were unhurt.
Crew:
Marceau Méresse, pilot,
Léopold Gimié, radio operator,
Mr. Marie, flight engineer,
Mr. Epper, steward.

While approaching Ajaccio, the crew sent a short mayday message, reporting a power plant failure. The float plane went out of control and crashed into the sea, few km offshore. All six occupants were killed.
Crew:
Edmond Larbonne, pilot,
Laurent Caillebotte, radio navigator,
Robert Juge, engineer.

The seaplane departed Barcelona at 0700LT on a flight to Rome with intermediate stops in Marseille and Genoa, carrying eight passengers and a crew of four. About an hour into the flight, the crew encountered engine problems and the captain ditched the airplane in the Mediterranean Sea. After several mayday messages were send, three ships rerouted to the accident site. All 12 occupants were evacuated safely by the crew of the French ship named 'Almansour'. The airplane was abandoned and washed up on a beach of the north coast of the Minorca Island on July 23.

A technical failure of unknown origin forced the pilot to make an emergency landing in the Gulf of Tunis, off Qurbus. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and all occupants were rescued.

The float plane departed Marseille at 0840LT on a flight to Algiers, carrying one passenger and three crew members. Some twenty minutes into the flight, one of the engine failed, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft. The radio navigator was able to send a mayday message and to report his position. In bad weather conditions and rough sea, the crew of the ship named 'Sainte Marguerite II' arrived on scene at 0600LT the following day and was able to evacuate all four occupants who were slightly injured. The aircraft sank and was lost.