Portreath AFB

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Portreath - Ras El Ma

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En route from UK to Morocco and while flying over the Bay of Biscay, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Gordon Saunders McCulloch, pilot,
F/Sgt Kenneth Malcolmson Gillies, navigator,
F/O Patrick Joseph Mccrohan Greig, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt James Charles Nicol, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Gerard Daniel McDougall, air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpl Allan Cyrenius James Coates,
Lac John Bruce Leitch.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X into the Bay of Biscay: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 1, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 440 Wellington X

Operator:

Registration:

HE568

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Portreath - Ras El Ma

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En route from UK to Morocco and while flying over the Bay of Biscay, the airplane was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Alexander Theodore Sodero, pilot,
F/O George Henry Hubbell, navigator,
Sgt William Robert King, bomb aimer,
Sgt Robert Spencer Hollowell, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Harry Llewellyn Davis, air gunner.
Passengers:
Cpl James Foster MacKenzie,
Lac Thomas Robert Brookes.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura in Ploudalmézeau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943 at 1745 LT

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Registration:

AE726

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Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4069

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1642LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Ploudalmézeau, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Harold Edwin Blundell, pilot,
W/O Thomas Coke Du Bose, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Albert Norman, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Ether Price, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

AE852

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Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4295

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1649LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). Over the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 30 km off Brest, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Eric James Andrew, pilot,
F/Sgt Gerald Baird McKennie,
F/Sgt Joseph Stanley Laidlaw,
Sgt George Charles Garner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I off RAF Portreath

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

AE839

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4182

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1640LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). Over the target area, it was badly shot about by a combination of German Flak and fighters. The crew was able to return to England but the airplane crashed into the sea while on approach to base. All four crew members were rescued by fishermen within 20 minutes.
Crew:
F/O G. L. Hicks, pilot,
F/Sgt F. J. Bowles,
Sgt Rees,
Sgt F. Taylor.

Probable cause:

Badly shot about by a combination of German Flak and fighters.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

AE715

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Site:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Schedule:

Portreath - Portreath

MSN:

4058

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1641LT to attack an oil tanker at Brest (Operation Ramrod 63). While leaving the area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Brest. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Melvyn Alexander McDonald, pilot,
F/O Lloyd George Girty,
Sgt Robert Clifton Milliken,
F/Sgt Bruce Herbert May.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off RAF Portreath: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943 at 0645 LT

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Operator:

Registration:

HF673

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

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Site:

Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow

Schedule:

Portreath - Gibraltar

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The airplane departed RAF Portreath on a flight to Gibraltar, first intermediate stop on a flight to India. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, it caught fire and crashed into the sea 6,4 km west of the airbase. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Amar Chandra De, pilot,
Sgt Roy McKenzie,
F/O Herbert L. Martin,
Sgt George Scott,
Sgt Ernest H. J. Grove.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow II in the Bay of Biscay: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942

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Registration:

K7011

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