Zone
Norfolk

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Wieringen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 2357 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7307
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
Wieringen
North Holland
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 West Raynham at 2045LT on an operation to Soesterberg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the Waddenzee off Wieringen. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Maurice Popplestone, pilot,
P/O William George Francis Hawkin, observer,
P/O Cyril Edwin White, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7700
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 2140LT on an operation to Soesterberg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Lt Ernest Martin Bury, pilot,
Sgt John Samuel Beauchamp, observer,
Sgt Thomas Crilly, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off The Hague: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942 at 1740 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
T1922
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
The Hague
South Holland
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 West Raynham at 1410LT on 'Operation Fuller'. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Kijkduin, near The Hague. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Robert Elmer Drsydale, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Stanley Maynard, observer,
Sgt John Standeford Pullen, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF West Raynham

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6397
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
West Raynham AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane crashed almost immediately after takeoff from RAF West Raynham after colliding with a storage shed. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt A. T. Woodfield,
Sgt Matthews,
Sgt Harris.

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

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1942 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5726
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
Amsterdam-Schiphol
North Holland
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 West Raynham at 1940LT for an intruder mission to Leeuwarden Airfield. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near the airport of Amsterdam-Schiphol. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Archie Peters, pilot,
Sgt George Norman Church, observer,
Sgt Kenneth Maurice Bird, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Schiermonnikoog Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1942 at 2042 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6391
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
Schiermonnikoog Island
Friesland
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 West Raynham at 1735LT on an operation to Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Schiermonnikoog Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Basil John Adam, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Arthur Willis, observer,
F/O Frederick Walter Ollis Street-Porter, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Den Helder: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1941 at 1508 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7309
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
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 West Raynham at 1305LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was shot down by the German Flak then by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Den Helder. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Walter Gordon Clement Beatson,
Sgt James Bradshaw,
P/O Haydn Jones.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Texel Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1941 at 1506 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5888
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
Texel Island
North Holland
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 West Raynham at 1305LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea some 15 km northwest of Texel Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James Wilson Bradley, pilot,
P/O Raymond Herbert Batten, observer,
Sgt Eric Douglas Kennedy, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1941 at 1205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5875
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
North Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 0745LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in the North Sea some 130 km west-northwest of Den Helder. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Christian Samuel Balzer,
Sgt Howard Lee Elliott,
Sgt Victor Frederick William Slade.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7278
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Location:
Clenchwarton
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF West Raynham on a navigation training exercise. The airplane crashed for unknown reasons at Clenchwarton, west of King's Lynn. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William John Anstey, pilot,
Sgt Anthony James Southwood, observer,
Sgt Jack William Kerrison, wireless operator.
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