Region
Europe

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Yves-Gomezée: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0423 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED800
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Yves-Gomezée
Namur
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 Skellingthorpe at 2142LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following morning, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Yves-Gomezée, 19 km south of Charleroi. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Gilchrist Duncan, pilot,
Sgt James Speirs, flight engineer,
Sgt John Alec Bates,
Sgt Albert Warren Berry,
Sgt Cyril Payne,
Sgt David Mackenzie Smellie,
Sgt Herbert Rhys Barnes, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0408 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT752
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Nassogne
Luxembourg
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 Leeming at 2100LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a wooded area located in Nassogne. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Joseph Raymond Louis Sergent, pilot,
Sgt Harry George Machell, flight engineer,
Sgt Frank Robert Cocks, navigator,
Sgt Geoffrey Maxted Hill, navigator,
Sgt Donald Frederick Gargrave, wireless operator,
F/Sgt William Kwasney, air gunner,
F/Sgt Cecil Davis Heming, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Quévy: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0402 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4317
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerst
Location:
Quévy
Hainaut
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 Syerston at 2113LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Quévy, 10 km southeast of Mons. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O William MacFarlane, pilot,
Sgt Peter John Keay, pilot,
F/Sgt William Waller Dawson, observer,
F/O Cyril Frederick Williams, navigator,
Sgt Edward Reginald Davidson, navigator,
P/O John Frederick Edwards, wireless operator,
Sgt Jack Valentine Rees, air gunner,
P/O Donald Alfred Holdsworth, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Regnièssart: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 0223 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF513
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Location:
Regnièssart
Namur
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 Newmarket at 2132LT on April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Regnièssart. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Donald Gordon McCaskill, pilot,
Sgt Angus McVicar, flight engineer,
P/O James Kennedy Grainger, navigator,
Sgt Bertram Elwell, bomb aimer,
Sgt Reginald Thomas Charles Green, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Desmond Cook, air gunner,
Sgt Ronald Alexander Smith, air gunner.
Probable cause:
shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Tongerlo: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1943 at 0345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK760
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Tongerlo
Limburg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 2331LT on April 10 on an operation to Frankfurt. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Tongerlo. Five crew members were killed and two others evaded.
Crew:
S/L Humphrey William Albert Chesterman, pilot, †
Sgt D. Ferguson, flight engineer,
Sgt S. J. Moore, navigator,
Sgt Walter Moore, observer, †
Sgt Ernest Tolson, observer, †
Sgt Leslie Ellis, wireless operator, †
Sgt Bernard Stanley George Bugg, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Virelles: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1943 at 0323 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE652
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
Location:
Virelles
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2312LT on April 10 on an operation to Frankfurt. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Virelles, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O John H. Sammet, pilot,
Sgt Douglas A. Weller, navigator,
Sgt John Hehir, bomb aimer,
Sgt George Levins, wireless operator,
Sgt Jack Budreau, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-10-BO Flying Fortress in Heikant: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943 at 1525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24465
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Thurleigh - Thurleigh
MSN:
3150
YOM:
1942
Location:
Heikant
Antwerp
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thurleigh on an operation to the Erla GmbH aircraft factory at Mortsel, Antwerp, Belgium. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Heikant, north of Antwerp. Three crew members were killed and seven others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt R. W. Seelos, pilot,
1st Lt A. Kramarinko, copilot,
2nd Lt W. W. Saunders, navigator,
T/Sgt Fred Ray Hampton, radio operator, †
2nd Lt James E. Murray, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Stanley P. Stemkoski, air gunner, †
T/Sgt W. H. Keskey, air gunner,
S/Sgt W. E. Baker, air gunner,
S/Sgt R. E. Walls, air gunner,
S/Sgt R. Magee, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Boussu: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1943 at 0215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT734
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Elvington - Elvington
Location:
Boussu
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Elvington at 2000LT on March 9 on an operation to Munich. The following night, while returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Boussu. A crew was killed, three others became PoW and three evaded.
Crew:
S/L Robert John Sage, pilot,
Sgt B. J. I. Walker, flight engineer,
F/Lt Brian Desmond Barker, navigator,
Sgt M. Crabtree, bomb aimer,
P/O Dennis Walter Bateman, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Loader Morris, air gunner,
F/O Kenneth Alexander Adam, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Kasterlee: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1943 at 0013 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT556
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Kasterlee
Antwerp
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1827LT on March 1st on an operation to Berlin. Shortly after midnight, while returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Kasterlee. Five crew members were killed, two became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
S/L J. L. Fletcher, pilot, †
S/Lt A. T. Wheatley, †
Sgt V. J. Crutch,
F/O E. L. Souter-Smith,
P/O W. P. A. Blackman,
F/Sgt G. G. Stanley, †
Sgt L. A. Trinder, †
Sgt H. B. Moore, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Rochehaut: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT668
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rufforth - Rufforth
Location:
Rochehaut
Luxembourg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Rufforth at 1926LT on an operation to Nuremberg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Rochehaut, 7 km northwest of Bouillon. Six crew members were killed and one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Hodgson, pilot, †
Sgt D. B. Yates, †
Sgt Richard Henry Frankland, †
Sgt A. C. Hole, †
Sgt John William Epathite, †
Sgt Stanley Boden, †
Sgt Alexander Cunningham Howe, air gunner.
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