Snaith AFB

The crew, stationed at Snaith in Yorkshire were taking part in a raid against the German city of Frankfurt. The outward leg proceeded normally until shortly after they had released their bomb load over the target area. The aircraft was illuminated by a searchlight and engaged by flak and a night fighter sustaining hits to the port inner engine setting it alight and the No.2 fuel tank. The pilot took evasive action by corkscrewing the aircraft from 19,000 feet to 9,000 feet successfully evading further contact. As well as the fuel loss from the damage to one of the tanks, the loss of the port inner engine meant that some functions were also lost. Most could be carried out entirely manually but the engines generator provided power to the aircraft's batteries that powered the mid-upper turret, beam approach radio equipment and the R1154 / T1155 radio. These would work only as long as the charge remained in the batteries. The aircraft passed its turning points as far as Reading, shortly after the radio failed as the batteries had been drained. The weather at this point had deteriorated with low cloud and rain, effectively removing any chance of seeing landmarks such as rivers which would aid in locating Snaith, or another airfield. Eventually the pilot began to descend through the cloud to be able to find landmarks but while still in cloud, and virtually out of fuel, the aircraft flew into the ground on Blackden Edge. The aircraft broke up over a fairly wide area, most of the crew who died were killed in the crash but the Sergeant Lane survived the crash but was severely injured and died before help, summoned by Sgt Mack, arrived the following day.
Crew (51st Squadron):
Sgt Ernest Hatfield Fenning, pilot, †
W/O Jean Gilbert Felix Fortin, navigator, †
Sgt Eric George Lane, flight engineer, †
Sgt Victor Garland, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frank Allan Squibbs, wireless operator, †
Sgt Boris Karl Short, air gunner, †
Sgt James B. Mack, air gunner.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistricthr727.htm

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2309LT on July 9 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Homebound at 18,000 feet, it was engaged by Flak and before evasive action could be taken, the bomber went into a spin, during which two crew members bailed out. Control was eventually regained and the airplane crash landed in a field near Staplefield. Both crew members who bailed out became PoW and all five others escaped unhurt and returned to service.
Crew:
Sgt J. V. F. Foulston, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Gordon Street, flight engineer,
Sgt John George McDonald, navigator,
Sgt J. G. Moor, bomb aimer,
Sgt H. Spalding, wireless operator,
Sgt N. A. Chappell, air gunner,
Sgt B. B. Collings, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2327LT on July 3 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Rance. Five crew members were killed, one evaded and one became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Stephen Garnham, pilot, †
Sgt Ronald Frank Knight, flight engineer, †
Sgt Andrew Giblin, navigator,
F/O Harry Arthur Nock, bomb aimer,
Sgt Alfred Thomas Bishop, wireless operator, †
Sgt Joseph John Costello, air gunner, †
Sgt Roy Ernest Debben, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2339LT on June 28 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night and passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 50 km west of Ouddorp. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Dennis William Sigournay, pilot,
Sgt Edward Kent, flight engineer,
F/O Frank Rees Haines, navigator,
Sgt Maurice Wood, bomb aimer,
Sgt Ernest William Victor Pierce, wireless operator,
Sgt Sidney Bonner, air gunner,
Sgt Raymond Vernon Boyd, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2332LT on June 28 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Olen. Six crew members were killed, one evaded and one became PoW.
Crew:
P/O John Perton Tay, pilot, †
Sgt D. R. G. Eldridge, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Smith, flight engineer, †
P/O Thomas Herbert Popley, navigator,
Sgt Anthony Cantell Redshaw, bomb aimer, †
P/O John Lofthouse Robinson Houlston, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Cairns Butler, air gunner, †
W/O Aymeric Essex Vidal, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2338LT on June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the IJsselmeer some 20 km northeast of Hardewijk. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Anthony Osmond, pilot,
Sgt Brinley Huggan, flight engineer,
Sgt Geoffrey Charles Mortimer, navigator,
Sgt Thomas George Barton, bomb aimer,
Sgt Phillip Blundell, wireless operator,
Sgt John Emerson, air gunner,
Sgt James Rorison, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2340LT on June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Wanroij, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Derek Henry Victor Davis, pilot,
Sgt Jack Roberts, flight engineer,
Sgt Albert Henry Hawes, navigator,
F/O Derek George Howse, bomb aimer,
Sgt Alexander Duncan McFarlane, wireless operator,
Sgt Alfred William Fairmaner, air gunner,
F/Sgt Keith Robertson Wood, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2313LT on June 24 on an operation to Wuppertal. Outbound, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea 20 km west of Vlissingen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O James Noble Mackenzie, pilot,
Sgt William Blackie, flight engineer,
P/O Arthur James Fitchett, navigator,
F/O Charles Alfred Johnson, bomb aimer,
Sgt Richard William Stevenson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Wilfred Andrews, air gunner,
F/Sgt Reginald English Murdoch, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2335LT on June 22 on an operation to Mülheim. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the central cemetery. Six crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Robert Hugh Elliot, pilot, †
Sgt J. E. Davidson, flight engineer,
Sgt Terence Bennett, navigator, †
Sgt William Richard Newton, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Frank Hawes, wireless operator, †
Sgt Stephen William Kennedy, air gunner, †
Sgt Cyril James Matthews, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 0011LT on an operation to Krefeld. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Kerkhoven. All seven crew members became Pow.
Crew:
Sgt Frederick John Hands Heathfield, pilot,
Sgt Douglas George Keane, flight engineer,
P/O Harold James Dothie, navigator,
W/O W. Allan Poulton, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Charles Beresford, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Henry Masters, air gunner,
Sgt Robert Cooper, air gunner.