Zone
Zeeland

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
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
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:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
W8354
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
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
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Methwold - Methwold
MSN:
4077
YOM:
1942
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
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:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7752
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
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:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7745
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
East Moor - East Moor
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
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:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE432
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Balderton - Balderton
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
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:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1190
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
East Moor - East Moor
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Moor at 0018LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and was ditched into the Scheldt Rive mouth off Vlissingen. All seven crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Francis Peter Hewitt, pilot,
Sgt Eric William Clark, flight engineer,
F/Sgt John Maitland Somerville, observer,
Sgt James Stewart McNalty Stewart, wireless operator,
Sgt D. E. Sharp, wireless operator,
Sgt Edwin Charles Evershed, air gunner,
Sgt Peter Sproston, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Vlissingen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1942 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
W8304
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bradwell Bay - Bradwell Bay
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bradwell Bay at 0130LT on an operation to the Gilze-Rijen Airfield. In unknown circumstances, it crashed in the mouth of the Schelde River off Vlissingen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Anthony Stewart Douglas, pilot,
F/Sgt Frederick Bradley, observer,
Sgt Elric Cameron Latter Jones, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Vlissingen

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0223 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N3750
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 2307LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the mouth of the River Schelde off Vlissingen. All seven crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Norman Edward Winch, pilot,
Cpt Herbert Martin Massey, pilot,
P/O Geoffrey Edward Booth, navigator,
W/O B. A. Iverson, flight engineer,
Sgt E. D. Williams, bomb aimer,
Sgt Raymond Joseph Baog, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John Hankin, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV off Vlissingen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0137 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1344
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2321LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the mouth of the River Schelde, off Vlissingen. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Alan James Holland, pilot,
Sgt Clifford Stanley Douglas, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Patrick Dansey, observer,
F/Sgt Dudley Raymond Beinke, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Thomas Lincoln Watkins, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Desmond Cheese, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
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