Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Niederaussem: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
R5561
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Niederaussem
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 0040LT on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Niederaussem, about 21 km northwest of Cologne. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Bennett Underwood, pilot,
P/O Benson Usher, pilot,
Sgt Anthony Williamson, observer,
F/Sgt Robert Gordon Fawkes, wireless operator,
F/O Peter Frederick Barlow Bluett, wireless operator,
P/O John Douglas Patey, air gunner,
F/Sgt John Hamilton Charles, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden in Hellaby: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1942 at 0015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
L6011
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Jurby - Syerston
Location:
Hellaby
South Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Jurby on a cross country flight to RAF Syerston, carrying a crew of five. While cruising at night, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines and the artificial horizon. Decision was taken to divert for an emergency landing. The pilot spotted a flare path and attempted to land at the Hellaby dummy Airfield when the airplane collided with high tension cables located on the boundary of the site and crashed. A crew was killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Crew:
Sgt John William Grosvenor Hodgkinson, pilot,
Sgt Parsons,
Lac A. Hughes,
Lac L. I. Alter,
Lac John Griffiths. †
Probable cause:
Technical problems with the engine and the artificial horizon followed by a in-flight collision with high tension cables.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the Atlantic Ocean: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE437
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Atlantic Ocean
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 1640LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. At 2229LT Heston d/f station acknowledged a call from this aircraft, asking for a bearing. Tragically, it is believed the crew misinterpreted the information sent by Heston and when last heard on w/t the Hampden was plotted in a 40 mile radius of 47° 30' N 13° W, some 270 miles off Brest and approximately 300 miles southwest of Land's end. No trace of the airplane was found.
Crew:
F/O James Andrew Caldwell,
Sgt Roland Crawley,
Sgt Edwin Alfred Harry,
F/Sgt Hudson Eric Marshall.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Roksem: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 9, 1941 at 2052 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE438
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Roksem
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 1755LT on an operation to Ostend. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Roksem. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Cayley Wilson, pilot,
Sgt Evan Bertram Te Makahi Robertson, observer,
Sgt Douglas Victor Markall, wireless operator,
Sgt Douglas Frederick William Norton, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Rinkesfort

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941 at 2145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE433
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Rinkesfort
Limburg
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 1719LT on an operation to Essen. In the evening, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Rinkesfort. All four crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Alexander John Gallan,
P/O Edwin Lee Houghton,
P/O John Collin Monkhouse,
Sgt John Edward Woodward.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Bruchsal: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P1218
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Bruchsal
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 1845LT on an operation to Mannheim. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Bruchsal. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Francis Albert Titicomb, pilot, †
Sgt Percy Albert George Ragg, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Ronald Roderick Walker, wireless operator, †
Sgt Randal Manliff Gifford.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Balderton: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 0250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
N2840
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Balderton
Nottinghamshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2258LT on July 17 on an operation to Rotterdam. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a JU.88C and crashed in Balderton, southeast of Newark-on-Trent. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Pvt Marion Jozef Czerniejewski,
Lt Bronisław Klatt,
Cpt Bolesław Kuzian,
Cpl Jan Podziemski,
Sgt Jan Sylwestrowicz,
Cpl Janusz Tomaszewski.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Langham

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1941 at 0238 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1002
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Langham AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2240LT on July 14 on an operation to Bremen. The crew encountered engine trouble and decided to return to base but finally diverted to RAF Langham where the airplane crashed on final approach. All six crew members were slightly injured and the airplane was destroyed.
Sgt C. R. Gebicki,
Sgt K. Paszkiewicz,
P/O J. Ostrowsky,
P/O C. W. Siuda,
Sgt K. Szewczyk,
Sgt J. Trzebski.
Probable cause:
Engine trouble.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Hemelingen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1941 at 0227 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
W5726
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Hemelingen
Bremen
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston in the evening of July 14 on an operation to Bremen. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Hemelingen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpl Antoni Burak,
Cpt Jerzy Janota-Bzowski,
Sgt Czesław Kaczalski,
Lt Antoni Zenon Lisinski,
Sgt Stanisław Aleks Mitkowski,
2nd Lt Jan Ostrowski.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Schwefingen: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1762
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Schwefingen
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2312LT on July 9 on an operation to Osnabrück. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Schwefingen, south of Meppen. A crew was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Brunon Powel Okonski, †
Sgt Jan Debiec,
Sgt John Dennis Knott,
F/O Mieczysław Marcola,
Sgt Jan Mikszo,
Sgt Mieczysław Minta,
Sgt Wacław Sieminski.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
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