Zone
Yorkshire

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Sart-Saint-Laurent: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1942 at 0307 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3745
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Sart-Saint-Laurent
Namur
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2040LT on September 8 on an operation to Frankfurt. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a wooded area near Sart-Saint-Laurent. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Glaves, pilot,
Sgt Edward Isaac Sofaer, navigator,
Sgt William Moylan, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Frank Raymond Thomas, air gunner,
Sgt Albert George Tillett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Frankfurt

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1942 at 0230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3304
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Frankfurt
Hesse
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2045LT on September 8 on an operation to Frankfurt. It ran out of oxygen and obliged to lose height. Shortly after doing so, a burst of flak severely damaged both engines and the Wellington was forced landed, probably near the target area. The exact location of the accident remains unclear. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Harry Alexander,
Sgt John Denver,
Sgt Gordon Arthur Sherratt,
Sgt John Edward Shooter,
Sgt R. Taylor.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near RAF Lympne: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BJ591
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Lympne
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith on the evening of September 8 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and the crew diverted to RAF Lympne where the airplane crashed on approach. Two crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Trevor Bryan, pilot, †
Sgt Gordon Thomas Lapping, wireless operator, †
Sgt D. G. Bowker,
Sgt A. A. Stanley,
P/O J. C. Lovelace,
Sgt P. U. Monk.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in East Cottingwith

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
Z1671
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
East Cottingwith
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2335LT on September 4 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following night, it made an emergency landing and crashed near East Cottingwith. All five crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O V. W. Parry,
Sgt F. Maxfield,
Sgt P. J. Trotman,
Sgt H. Woodruff,
Sgt S. S. Thomas.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Dieppe: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3313
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Dieppe
Seine-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2355LT on September 2 on an operation to Karlsruhe. Approaching the French coast, it crashed into The Channel, probably off Dieppe. The exact location of the crash remains unknown. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie Roland Clarke,
F/Sgt Robert James Deans, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Stephen Fish,
F/Lt Donald Laing,
Sgt Sidney Bryan Ronaldson.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Middle Wallop

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BJ649
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Middle Wallop AFB
Hampshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith on the evening of August 28 on an operation to Saarbrücken. The following night, while returning to England, it crash landed at RAF Middle Wallop with its undercarriage jammed. Shortly afterwards, some incendiaries fell from the aircraft, and in the ensuing fire, the Wellington was destroyed. There were no injuries.
Crew:
P/O J. B. W. Birks,
Sgt T. J. Bolger,
Sgt S. Meignard,
Sgt Deed,
Sgt Pearce.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage jammed.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Wervershoof: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1942 at 0122 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3418
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Wervershoof
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF 2045LT on August 27 on an operation to Kassel. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Wervershoof, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Geoffrey Cedric Coombes, pilot,
F/Sgt Edward George William Lewis, observer,
P/O James Arthur Johnston Milne, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Sargeant Ball, wireless operator,
F/O Donald Carr Pritchard, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Kersbeek-Miskom: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0255 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BJ831
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Kersbeek-Miskom
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2101LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Kersbeek-Miskom. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Harry Malfroy Thompson, pilot, †
Sgt Neville Charles Holdaway, †
Sgt Keith Lash Matthews, †
Sgt Basil Henry Glasse,
Sgt Leslie Stewart Magenis.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Loonbeek: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0254 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BJ651
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Loonbeek
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2035LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Loonbeek, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Eric Guy Bound, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Frank Cronk, observer,
F/Sgt Alan Robert Lane, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Thomas, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert Charles Jukes, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Rienne: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0025 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3414
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Rienne
Namur
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2040LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Rienne. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt James Henry Scorer, pilot, †
F/Sgt David Leslie Thomas Craig, wireless operator, †
Sgt Adam Brodie Fraser, air gunner, †
F/Sgt James Maxwell Gibson, †
Sgt Frederick Dolton.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
Subscribe to Snaith AFB