Zone
Cornwall

Crash of a Douglas DB-7 Boston III in RAF Portreath: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1943 at 0845 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
W8370
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Portreath AFB
Cornwall
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed shortly after take off from RAF Portreath for unknown reason. Two crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 Dakota III off RAF Portreath: 12 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
FL515
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Portreath – Gibraltar
MSN:
10098
YOM:
1943
Location:
Portreath AFB
Cornwall
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from RAF Portreath, while in initial climb, the aircraft crashed into the sea one mile off shore. The aircraft sank and all 12 crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that cargo shifted after take off, but this was not confirmed.

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

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow
Operator:
Registration:
K7011
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Portreath – Gibraltar
Location:
Bay of Biscay
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While cruising over the Bay of Biscay, the aircraft crashed into the sea off the Spanish coast in unknown circumstances. None of 11 occupants survived.
Crew (271st Squadron):
S/L Godfrey Allison Brown, pilot,
F/Lt Edward Thomson Halley,
P/O Peter Marsh Burton,
F/O Edwin Buckley Bowen,
F/Sgt Richard George Brett,
F/Sgt John Brister,
LAC Philip Cashmore.
Passengers:
Lt Andrew Jervis Hawkins,
Maj Harold John Palmer,
F/O William Milton Henderson,
F/O John Glen McCauley.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Sesimbra: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1942 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z9098
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Portreath - Gibraltar
Location:
Sesimbra
Estremadura - Lisbon District
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Portreath on a transit flight to Gibraltar with a crew of six on board. While passing over Portugal, it is believed that it was mistakenly shot down by friendly fire (HM Trawler Loch Oskaig) and crashed on a beach in Sesimbra. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew.
P/O Kenneth Duncan Adams, pilot, †
Sgt Noel Arnold Graystone, pilot, †
Sgt Hugh Berry, wireless operator, †
Sgt Thomas Patrick McBride, wireless operator, †
Sgt J. K. Evans,
Sgt L. F. J. Harris.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by friendly fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off RAF Portreath: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 7, 1942 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z9040
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Gibraltar
Location:
Portreath AFB
Cornwall
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval on a transit flight to Gibraltar. Few minutes after takeoff, while flying at night along the coast, it went out of control and crashed into the sea off RAF Portreath, about 31 km southwest of RAF St Eval. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Harry Wallace Tindley,
Sgt Leslie Jennings, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Thompson Rene Renshaw,
Sgt Alan John Griffiths,
Sgt Myles David Gould.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near São Jacinto AFB

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7678
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Portreath - Gibraltar - Luqa
Location:
São Jacinto AFB
Centro
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a transit flight from RAF Portreath to Luqa with an intermediate stop in Gibraltar. Passing south of Porto, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and made an emergency landing near the São Jacinto Airbase. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt J. B. Thompson,
Sgt Harold Frederick Dolland Parsons,
Sgt R. G. Martin.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Monte da Caparica

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7585
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Portreath - Gibraltar - Luqa
Location:
Monte da Caparica
Estremadura - Lisbon District
Country:
Portugal
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a transit flight from RAF Portreath to Luqa with an intermediate stop in Gibraltar. Passing over Lisbon, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and made an emergency landing in Monte da Caparica, south of the capital city. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt D. Grant,
Sgt J. Bowling,
Sgt Raymond Vincent Dart.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Saint-Nazaire: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6430
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Portreath - Portreath
Location:
Saint-Nazaire
Loire-Atlantique
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 0807LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
crew:
S/L George Stephen King, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Eckersley Austen-Johnson, observer,
Sgt Denison Owen, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Saint-Nazaire

Date & Time: May 13, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5997
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Portreath - Portreath
Location:
Saint-Nazaire
Loire-Atlantique
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 0811LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Approaching the target, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Frank Henry Miller, pilot,
Sgt Norman Joseph Ingram, observer,
Sgt William Eric Whiteman, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Camaret-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1941 at 1525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6379
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Portreath - Portreath
Location:
Camaret-sur-Mer
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1330LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was last seen at a height of 200 feet off Camaret-sur-Mer, attacking a 1,000 ton vessel then crashed into the sea with its left engine on fire. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Richard Langebear,
F/Sgt Alec Kenneth Newbery,
P/O Jack Richard Stone.
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