Vlissingen

Flight Type:

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Site:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Schedule:

Binbrook - Binbrook

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The crew was returning to RAF Binbrook following a bombing mission. While cruising over The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea few km off Vlissingen. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (460th Squadron):
F/Sgt John Parr Ion,
Sgt Ronald Tomkinson,
F/Sgt Ronald Robert Curphey Morris,
P/O Linley Joseph Grey,
W/O Robert Le Gay Brereton,
F/Sgt Rex Coates,
F/Sgt William Edward Hathaway.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-25-VE Flying Fortress near Vlissingen: 10 killed

Date & Time: Oct 4, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

42-5807

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Polebrook - Polebrook

MSN:

6103

YOM:

1943

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The four-engine aircraft left RAF Polebrook on a bombing mission to Frankfurt. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field located 3 km southeast of Vlissingen. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew (351st BG):
1st Lt Daniel D. Nauman, pilot,
2st Lt William R. Keister, copilot,
1st Lt Walter A. Blair, navigator,
S/Sgt Mario Suozzo, bombardier,
T/Sgt Foy A. Rush, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Robert F. Martin, radio operator,
S/Sgt William R. Towsley, air gunner,
S/Sgt Lewis W. Burgess Jr., air gunner,
S/Sgt Ralph G. Robeson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Willard O. Hunter, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Vlissingen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

BF438

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Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Schedule:

Ridgewell - Ridgewell

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The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 1901LT on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base in the evening, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 45 km west of Vlissingen. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Lionel William Tabor, pilot,
Sgt Edward Couldwell,
Sgt James Kennedy,
Sgt Kenneth William Valentine,
Sgt Stanley Richard Cann,
Sgt Thomas Alfred Butt,
Sgt Alec Simmons, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III near Vlissingen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1943 at 1147 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W8354

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Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

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The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1046LT on an operation to Vlissingen. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed near Vlissingen Airfield. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Adrian Grey Wilson, pilot,
F/O Ronald Herbert Aitchison Evans, navigator,
Sgt David John Dudley Thomas, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Stanley Oakes, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I off Vlissingen: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1942 at 1509 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

Operator:

Registration:

AE734

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Schedule:

Methwold - Methwold

MSN:

4077

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Methwold at 1401LT on an operation to Terneuzen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Vlissingen. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
W/O Victor Roy Henry, pilot, †
Sgt Patrick Whelan, navigator, †
W/O Geoffrey Caleb Blackett, wireless operator,
Sgt Stephen Edwards, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Vlissingen: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1942 at 0250 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W7752

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Site:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Schedule:

Pocklington - Pocklington

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The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2011LT on September 10 on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea off Vlissingen. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Peter Ayrton Visart England, pilot,
F/O Bernard George Harry Smith, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Marshall, flight engineer,
Sgt Reginald Moore, navigator,
F/Sgt Samuel Harry Jackson, bomb aimer,
Sgt Derrick Rennie Wyn Schofield, wireless operator,
F/Sgt George Frederick Fargher, air gunner,
P/O John Bernard McCormack, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Vlissingen: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1942 at 2140 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W7745

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Site:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Schedule:

East Moor - East Moor

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The airplane departed RAF East Moor at 2016LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea some 20 km southwest of Vlissingen. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Peter Bettley. Robinson, pilot,
F/Sgt Anthony John Sutton, pilot,
Sgt Geoffrey Archie Smith, flight engineer,
P/O William Albert Thomas, navigator,
F/Sgt James George Edward Davis, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Gordon Leroy Ellsworth, wireless operator,
P/O Arthur Howard Hanson, air gunner,
F/Sgt Philip Silverman, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Vlissingen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942 at 0505 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

AE432

Flight Phase:

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Site:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Schedule:

Balderton - Balderton

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The airplane departed RAF Balderton at 0015LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and is believed to have crashed into the mouth of the Scheldt River, maybe off Vlissingen. All four crew members were killed. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Lt John Sommerville Cardell, pilot,
Sgt Harry Leonard Jewell,
Sgt Edwin Mitchell,
P/O George Lawson Staniar.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Vlissingen

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942 at 0250 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W1190

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site: