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Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED520
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
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 Waddington on an operation to Nuremberg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Donald Campbell Hunter, pilot,
Sgt R. A. Matthews,
Sgt S. F. Essen,
Sgt Donald Castairs McIntyre,
Sgt Lloyd Adolf Bernick,
Sgt E. Wilkins,
Sgt A. C. Blaber, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV into the North Sea

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943 at 2040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1288
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1747LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. It turned back following a loss of power from the starboard engine and when the port motor failed, a ditching was made at 2040LT in position 53° 19' N 02° 49' E. All five crew members were rescued some three hours later by an air sea rescue launch and taken into Great Yarmouth.
Crew:
Sgt K. Ignatowski, pilot,
P/O H. Hryncewicz,
Sgt K. Szczygielski,
Sgt S. Prostak,
Sgt T. Omilanowski, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK627
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
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 Ridgewell at 1754LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O Albert Bloomer Scholey, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Arthur Arnold,
Sgt George Morrall,
Sgt Harold Moore Kennard,
Sgt Stanley George Fisher,
Sgt Thomas Alfred Constable,
Sgt Derrick Balcombe Sayer, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
R5743
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
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 Wyton at 1816LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Lt John Alexander Bright Twice, pilot,
F/Sgt Albert Edmond Schildknecht,
P/O John Kenneth Ridley,
F/Sgt John McAllister,
F/O Joseph Sydney Holmes,
F/Sgt Raymond Leslie Merrett,
F/Sgt Leslie Knill, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BJ919
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1746LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Joseph Omer Romain Gauthier, pilot,
F/Sgt Harry Russell Bailey,
W/O Roy Wilson Ferrier,
F/O Campbell Archibald McKinnon,
F/Sgt Ralph Carlton Ramsay,
F/Sgt Frank Ruzycki.

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

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT639
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
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 Middleton Saint George at 1751LT to lay mines off the Frisian Islands. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Benoit Albert Levasseur, pilot,
Sgt Griffith Arthur Lloyd,
W/O Harold Thomas Jacobsen,
Sgt John William Grant,
F/Sgt Robert Potter Wilson,
Sgt William Albert Robinson,
W/O William Reid Gray, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT644
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Rufforth - Rufforth
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 Rufforth at 1903LT to lay mines in the Nectarines area. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Frank Eastoe, pilot,
Sgt Alexander Smith Aitchison,
F/O Edward Ivor Griffiths,
Sgt Ernest John Hart,
Sgt Frederick John Bray,
Sgt Jack Edward Edmeades,
Sgt John Harrison, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BK160
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Chipping Warden - Chipping Warden
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Chipping Warden in the evening of February 18 on a Nickel Operation. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Jack Elliott Parkes, pilot,
P/O Alfred Raymond Shepherd,
Sgt Alfred Raymond York,
Sgt Kenneth William Keen,
Sgt Alfred Henry Martin, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the North Sea

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P1157
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was approaching the Dutch coast when it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the North Sea. All four crew members were rescued.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow I into the North Sea: 18 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow
Operator:
Registration:
K6946
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wick - Lossiemouth
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Wick Airport on a short flight to RAF Lossiemouth, carrying 14 passengers and a crew of four. It failed to arrive at destination and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Despite significant SAR operations, no trace of the airplane nor the 18 occupants was found. Last known position 3 km east of Scarlets Head, some 8 km south southeast of Wick Airport.
Crew (782nd Squadron):
F/Lt Walter H. Nicholson,
Lt Anthony J. E. Howey,
F/Sgt Frank S. Barnes,
Sgt Eric J. M. Riordan,
Cpl Edward Francis John William Hoare,
Lac Cyril A. Tilbury,
Lac Frederick J. Burton,
Lac John Graham,
Lac William Thompson,
Lac John Garden,
Lac Leslie Bool,
Ac1 Kenneth Reginald Morse,
Ac1 Kenneth Douglas Drage,
Ac1 James Stewart Stevenson,
Ac2 Sidney John William Clark +3.
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