Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF West Raynham

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1941 at 0330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1468
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2045LT on August 27 on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base the following night, the crew diverted to RAF West Raynham where the airplane crashed while trying to land in heavy rain and poor visibility, bursting into flames. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O Foster,
Sgt Soames,
Sgt Lewis,
Sgt McKay,
Sgt Gregory,
Sgt Nuttall.

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

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1941 at 1937 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6236
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Country:
Region:
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 1720LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in the North Sea some 35 km off Vlieland Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr James Lauder Nicol, pilot,
F/Sgt Edward Thomas William Jones, observer,
F/O Herbert Joseph Madden, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1941 at 1937 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7347
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Country:
Region:
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 1720LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in the North Sea some 35 km off Vlieland Island. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Reginald Kenneth Clarke, pilot,
P/O Ronald Arthur Stratton, observer,
Sgt Peter Arnold Davies, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Vlieland Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1941 at 1935 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6366
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 1715LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in the North Sea some 35 km off Vlieland Island. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Harry Roderick Bentley, †
P/O Roderick Urquhart McCracken, †
Sgt Alexander Clague.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1941 at 1320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7281
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Country:
Region:
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 0910LT to attack the Knapsack Power Station in Cologne. While returning to base, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea off Vlissingen. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Douglas Joseph Wheatley, pilot,
Sgt John Stead, observer,
Sgt John Lenden West, bomber.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF West Raynham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1941 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8751
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF West Raynham. While trying to make an emergency landing for unknown reasons, the airplane crashed at the airbase. The observer was killed and the pilot was injured.
Crew:
Sgt F. V. Clarke, pilot,
Sgt John Mons O'Grady, observer. †

Crash of a Boeing B-17C Flying Fortress in Catterick Bridge: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1941 at 1710 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AN522
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
MSN:
2054
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in an experimental flight and departed RAF West Raynham at 1610LT. The purpose of the flight to allow physiological research and tests to be done at high altitude. While cruising at FL330, the four engine airplane entered a cumulonimbus. The temperature of the airplane dropped by some 20° and pieces of ice entered through the open rear gun ports. After a minute in such conditions, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and the port wing spar failed at an altitude of about 25,000 feet. A crew member was able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a field and was totally wrecked. All seven other crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Charles Michael Hawley, pilot, †
F/Lt John Bernard William Humpherson, pilot, †
1st Lt Follett Bradley Jr., pilot, †
Sgt Horace Philip Black, observer, †
F/Sgt George James Garwood, wireless operator, †
S/L David Alan Hoper Robson, †
Sgt Thomas James Wills, wireless operator, †
F/Lt William Kilpatrick Stewart.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF West Raynham

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1941 at 0530 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AD847
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington at 2155LT on April 26 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following morning, it crashed on approach to RAF West Raynham (diversion?). All four crew members were rescued, among the one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt S. Mallen,
Sgt V. F. Lauderdale,
Sgt E. Hartley,
Sgt R. Oliever.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Dorchester: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2439
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Region:
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 1915LT on an operation to Brest. It crashed and exploded 5 miles northwest of Dorchester. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Ian Burrows, pilot,
Sgt George Benjamin Holt Birdsell, observer,
Sgt Hugh Raymond Perry, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV into The Channel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3552
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Country:
Region:
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 on an operation to Brest. Lost without trace, maybe after it crashed somewhere in The Channel. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Derek Addenbrooke,
Sgt Eric Edwin Blomeley,
P/O William Johnston Fenton.