Region
Europe

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Zemst-Bos: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1943 at 0226 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE590
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
Location:
Zemst-Bos
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2321LT on May 25 on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Zemst-Bos, killing all six crew members.
Crew:
P/O Stuart Pennington, pilot,
Sgt Richard Ellwood Talman, pilot,
F/O John Kaye Watson, navigator,
P/O Norman Cecil Swan, bomb aimer,
Sgt Edward Thomas, wireless operator,
W/O Donald Lyall Beatty, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in 's-Gravenwezel: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1943 at 0210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED768
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bottesford - Bottesford
Location:
's-Gravenwezel
Antwerp
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bottesford at 2341LT on May 25 on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in 's-Gravenwezel. Three crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Maxwell Parsons, pilot,
Sgt Bernard Spencer, flight engineer,
Sgt John Patrick Egan, navigator,
Sgt Norman Jardine Vaulkhard, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Francom Selman, wireless operator,
Sgt R. A. Hunt, air gunner,
Sgt Thomas Chalmers, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Gruitrode: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1943 at 0140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7813
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Elvington - Elvington
Location:
Gruitrode
Limburg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Elvington at 2312LT on May 25 on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Gruitrode, killing all seven crew members.
Crew:
Sgt Lewis William Rees, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Vincent Pass, flight engineer,
Sgt Harry Roots, navigator,
Sgt Harold William Moore, bomb aimer,
Sgt James Reginald McLeod, wireless operator,
F/Sgt David Ronald Gilchrist, air gunner,
Sgt Charles Henry Sherwood, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Bree: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HZ476
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dalton - Dalton
Location:
Bree
Limburg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dalton at 2334LT on May 25 on an operation to Düsseldorf, and crashed in unknown circumstances in Bree, killing all six crew members.
Crew:
W/O William George Pepper, pilot,
F/O Roy Gibson Madge, pilot,
P/O Frank Greenaway Baker, navigator,
W/O Norman James Waters, bomb aimer,
Sgt Kenneth George Higgs, wireless operator,
W/O William Ernest Douglas, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Haasrode: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1943 at 0307 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB873
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Haasrode
Flemish Brabant
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2329LT on May 13 on an operation to Bochum. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Haasrode. Both pilots were killed, one crew evaded and five others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Gerald Herbert Dane, pilot, †
Sgt James Howard Body, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur Cecil Poole Minnitt, flight engineer,
Sgt Ronald G. Goddard, navigator,
Sgt Llewellyn Adams, bomb aimer,
Sgt John William Pople, wireless operator,
Sgt Alfred Beatson, air gunner,
Sgt Frederick William Webb, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Kasterlee: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1943 at 0307 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF479
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Location:
Kasterlee
Antwerp
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 0055LT on an operation to Bochum. Outbound, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Kasterlee, 9 km south of Turnhout. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Leslie Cyril Martin, pilot,
F/Sgt Robert Chrysler Ferguson, pilot,
Sgt Jack Eric Butt, flight engineer,
Sgt Norman Harry Frank, navigator,
F/O George Reicher Royde, navigator,
Sgt Edmund Hazelden-French, wireless operator,
Sgt Harold Arthur James Berry, air gunner,
F/Sgt Howard Philip Fudge, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Blankenberge

Date & Time: May 14, 1943 at 0230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
R5688
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Location:
Blankenberge
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 2324LT on May 13 on an operation to Bochum. For unknown reasons, the pilot was forced to ditch the airplane into the North Sea, some 19 km northwest of Blankenberge (coordinates 51° 25' N 2° 55' E). All seven crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt C. V. Scott, pilot,
Sgt H. T. Bedford,
Sgt G. H. Russell,
Sgt R. F. Rees,
Sgt G. D. Mitchell,
P/O P. H. Phillips,
Sgt L. F. Range, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Weelde: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 0218 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB806
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Weelde
Antwerp
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2357LT on May 12 on an operation to Duisburg. The following night, while passing over Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak and was abandoned by the crew. Out of control, it dove into the ground and crashed on a bakery located in the center of the village of Weelde, killing the owner's wife and daughter. All seven crew members parachuted to safety and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Beverley Brown, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Lloyd George Knight, flight engineer,
Sgt William Bruce Henderson, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Duncan Rae, navigator,
Sgt Kenneth Albert Goodchild, wireless operator,
Sgt William Esmond North-Lewis, air gunner,
Sgt Philippe Louis Marie Charles De Bourbon, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Melmedy: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE905
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
Location:
Malmedy
Liege
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2356LT on May 12 on an operation to Duisburg. The following night, while passing over Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Malmedy. A pilot was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Ian Ralph Andrew Runciman, pilot,
F/O Douglas Gordon Fraser, pilot, †
P/O Dallas Laskey,
F/O Gordon Miller,
Sgt Douglas Hill Pennock,
F/Sgt Olaf William Forland, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Mol: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1943 at 0309 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4171
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Langar
Location:
Mol
Antwerp
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Langar at 0020LT on an operation to Duisburg. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Mol, 50 km east of Antwerp. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Iorwerth Beynon Jones, pilot,
Sgt John Gillespie, flight engineer,
Sgt Geoffrey John Glare, navigator,
F/O Basil Paul Malcolm Hyland, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Alfred Hollett, wireless operator,
Sgt Frank Wells Davies, air gunner,
Sgt Benjamin Bryn Jones, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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