Zone
Yorkshire

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson in United Kingdom: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
EG113
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Rearsby - Melbourne
Location:
United Kingdom
All United Kingdom
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Rearsby to RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted on a large area but eventually suspended a week later as no trace of the aircraft nor the five crewmen was found. It is believed the aircraft may have crash into the Humber or maybe into the North Sea after encountering electrical problems, causing the failure of the communication (radio) systems.
Crew:
W/O Reginald Arthur Webb,
W/O Kenneth Crabtree,
F/Lt John Ireland,
F/Lt Leonard Jack Lawrence,
S/L Bernard Frederick Perkins.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in RAF Melbourne

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
KN548
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
16408/33156
YOM:
1945
Location:
Melbourne AFB
Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing hit the runway surface and the aircraft slid for several yards prior to stop in flames. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Gear collapse on landing.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Liebenberg: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1944 at 1936 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JN899
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Liebenberg
Brandenburg
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 Melbourne at 1636LT on a bombing mission over Berlin. Claimed by Oblt Wilhelm Johnen 5/NJG5 - NNW Berlin at 1936LT. Also claimed by 3rd battery of the Railway Flak Department 416. Crashed in a forest near Liebenberg, between Grüneberg and Liebenberg, southeast of Löwenberg. All seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2116 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR692
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Horst
Limburg
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1921LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Horst, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie Barker, pilot,
Sgt William Lloyd George Thompson, flight engineer,
Sgt Kenneth Alfred Mills, navigator,
F/O Ronald James Paul, navigator,
Sgt Leonard Evan Thomas, wireless operator,
Sgt James Freel, air gunner,
Sgt George Albert Hyatt, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT778
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1930LT on an operation to Essen. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O John Dickinson, pilot,
Sgt Henry Edward Henden, flight engineer,
Sgt Frederick Wade Stanners, navigator,
Sgt Jessel Hyam Harris, navigator,
Sgt John Ernest Smith, wireless operator,
Sgt Frank Patrick Crawford, air gunner,
Sgt Leslie John Gait, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near RAF Melbourne: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1943 at 1709 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1039
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Melbourne AFB
Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances just south of RAF Melbourne, bursting into flames. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Geoffrey Francis Peck, pilot,
Sgt Archie Allen Muirhead, flight engineer,
Sgt William Browning, navigator,
Sgt Basil Graham Hart, navigator,
Sgt Alfred Norman Boreham, wireless operator,
Sgt Denis Cyril Retter, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Venlo: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT788
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Venlo
Limburg
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1632LT on an operation to Cologne. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Venlo. A crew was killed, one evaded and five became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt J. D. Illingworth, pilot,
Sgt W. C. Ford, flight engineer,
Sgt J. S. King, navigator,
Sgt R. Williamson, bomb aimer,
Sgt L. T. Holdom, wireless operator,
Sgt Harry Kay, air gunner, †
Sgt J. Sankey, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II on Schiermonnikoog Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1943 at 1822 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
BB252
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Schiermonnikoog Island
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1617LT on a mine laying operation in the Nectarines area. Approaching the Frisian Islands at an altitude of about 1,100 metres, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed on the island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Eddie Fish, pilot,
Sgt Alan Smith, flight engineer,
F/Sgt John Wilmer Smith, observer,
F/Sgt Charles Brian Fetherstonhaugh, navigator,
F/Sgt Arthur William Wilson, wireless operator,
Sgt Michael John Boyle, air gunner,
F/Sgt Lawrence Clifford King, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Villiers-le-Duc: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1942 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DG222
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Villiers-le-Duc
Côte-d'Or
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 Melbourne at 1653LT on an operation to Torino. Over France, it suffered an engine failure and crashed in a wooded area located in Villiers-le-Duc. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Alfred Roger Juneau, pilot,
Sgt Phillip Alexander Warren, flight engineer,
Sgt George Kilpatrick, observer,
F/O Clarence Arthur McRoberts, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt John Leonard Dunlop, wireless operator,
Sgt Cyril Frederick Budgen, air gunner,
Sgt Raymond William John Crooks, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Melbourne: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1942 at 1428 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7871
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Melbourne AFB
Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1428LT on a local training exercise. Immediately after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 300 feet, it went out of control and crashed in an open field located 1,5 km southwest of the airbase. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Gerald Spencer Barrett, pilot,
F/Sgt Edward John Willmott, pilot,
Sgt Derick Arthur Dudley Soggee, flight engineer,
Sgt Alan Frederick Flower, observer,
Sgt Edward Arthur Marchant, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Alfred Brewer, air gunner,
Sgt Douglas Arnold Bellerby, air gunner,
Sgt Frederick Charles Clarke, air gunner.
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