Swanton Morley AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 2034LT on an operation to Lorient. It collided with a barrage balloon cable and crashed southwest of Birmingham. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ian Murray Shirlaw, pilot
P/O Cyril Peter Dugdale, observer,
F/O John Olaf Mair, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Collision with a barrage balloon cable.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Groningen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1941 at 0258 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1895

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

Groningen

Country:

Netherlands

Region:

Europe

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The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 2325LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Oosterhogebrug, in the suburb of Groningen. Two crew were killed and a third was injured and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt J. S. H. Heape, pilot, †
Sgt Sylvester Jones, observer, †
Sgt John Bimson, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Swanton Morley

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1941 at 2225 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1989

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

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The pilot was completing a solo training flight at RAF Swanton Morley. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances while on a night approach. The pilot P/O M. I. Dore was unhurt.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Swanton Morley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1941 at 2213 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2138

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 1845LT on an operation to Boulogne. While returning in the evening, the airplane was approaching RAF Swanton Morley when it crashed just to the southeast of the airfield. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Cyril Sydney Kemp, pilot,
P/O Peter Moody, observer,
Sgt Alan Lloyd, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Zedelgem: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1897

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1902LT to attack aerodromes. In the evening, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Zedelgem, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
F/Sgt Patrick Ranby Richardson, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Donlon, observer,
Sgt Vivian Charles Gifford, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Morlaix

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1893

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

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The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1728LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Morlaix. All three crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Cyril Douglas Swain,
F/Lt Ernest John Clelland,
Sgt Maurice John Cowley.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Harrop Edge

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1940 at 0050 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1884

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1845LT on November 27 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions and was unable to descend safely through clouds. So the crew abandoned the aircraft that crashed east of Hyde and was destroyed. All three crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt E. A. Costello-Bowen,
Sgt T. J. Broom,
Sgt Cameron.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Swanton Morley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1940 at 2323 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1886

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

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The bomber departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1850LT on an operation to Cologne. While returning to the airbase at the end of the evening, shortly before midnight, the crew was cleared to land when the airplane crashed on short final. All three crew members were killed.
Crew.
P/O Lenard Terence Jervis Ryan, pilot,
Sgt Stanley Walter Slade, observer,
Sgt Robert Meikle, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2329

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley in the evening of November 16 on an operation to Hamburg. It was lost without trace, maybe after it crashed into the North Sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Eldon Ashurst,
Sgt William John Gilmour,
Sgt Charles Whitfield.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Vilvorde: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T1890

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley on a patrol mission over the area of Antwerp, Brussels, Le Culot and Saint-Trond. Over Brussels, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Vilvorde. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Dennis Murray, pilot,
Sgt Chalres Dennis Gavin, observer,
Sgt Thomas Robson, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.