Vitry-en-Artois | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The bomber departed Vitry-en-Artois Airfield at 2230LT on an operation to London (Victoria Docks). While cruising at an altitude of 15,000 feet, the airplane was shot down by a British fighter and entered a dive. The crew was able to bail out but three of them were killed, maybe because they bailed out too late.
Crew:
Lt Walter von Siber, pilot,
Fw Josef Fischer, observer,
Uffz Adolf Schurff, radio operator, †
Ofw Helmut Meister, mechanic, †
Fw Edmund Wylezol, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-5 into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

A1+AL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Vitry-en-Artois - Vitry-en-Artois

MSN:

3563

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The airplane departed Vitry-en-Artois on an operation to England. It was lost without trace, probably after it crashed somewhere in the North Sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ofw H. Michalszik, pilot,
Oblt H. G. Ziegler, observer,
Fw K. Ziegler, radio operator,
Uffz G. Helgert, mechanic,
Uffz H. Menetzke, air gunner.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-5 in Zanvoort

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1941 at 2320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

A1+?H

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Vitry-en-Artois - Vitry-en-Artois

MSN:

3633

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The airplane departed Vitry-en-Artois Airfield on an operation to England. It was probably shot down by enemy fire while over the target area and the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing on a beach in Zandvoort. All five crew members survived, among them one was slightly injured.
Crew:
Fw Hans-Georg Peppa, radio operator +4.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 in Southend: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 30, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

A1+IL

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Vitry-en-Artois - Vitry-en-Artois

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The aircraft departed Vitry-en-Artois Airfield in France on a bombing mission to Hatfield, northwest of London area. It made a stop in Douai to pick up the crew of another He.111 before continuing to UK. While approaching England by the east at an altitude of some 3,000 feet, the bomber was shot down by a RAF fighter. Three crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in Southend. Three other crewmen were killed as well as one lady on the ground who was hit by debris.
Crew:
Uffz Helmut Gall, pilot,
Uffz Wolf Rossler, observer,
Ernst Erhard Von Kuenheim, radio officer,
Uffz Adolf Saam, flight engineer,
Heinrich Fischer, rear gunner +1.
Source & photos: http://southendpatriot.blogspot.nl/2014/03/the-heinkel-111-air-crash-in-lifstan.html

Probable cause:

Shot down by a RAF fighter.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z off Seasalter: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1940 at 0730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Registration:

U5+DS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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The airplane departed Vitry-en-Artois to bomb the Eastchurch Airfield. While returning to its base, it was shot down by the pilot of a Hurricane and crashed at the Mudflats near Seasalter. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
Oblt Gerhard Müller, pilot, †
Oblt Werner Morich, observer, †
Obfw Karl Langer, radio operator, †
Fw Rudolf Haensgen, flight engineer.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 off Lowestoft: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1940 at 1445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

A1+??

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

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The airplane departed Vitry-en-Artois on a reconnaissance mission. While approaching the British coast, it was shot down by a Spitfire and crashed into the sea some 30 km off Lowestoft. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw E. Knobloch, pilot,
Lt O. Kliffken, observer,
Gfr H. Fricke,
Gfr H. Keil,
Fw M. Eiblmeier.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

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

Date & Time: May 18, 1940 at 1015 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3702

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Shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Maubray. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
P/O Roy A. Durie, pilot,
Sgt Robert Burns, observer,
AC1 William George Murdoch, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by Flak.