Belgium | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2353LT on June 2 on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Postel, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Wincenty Glowacki, pilot,
F/O Stefan Leopold Alojzy Praschill, pilot,
F/O Rajmund Kiwacz, observer,
Sgt Jarosław Zalewski, wireless operator,
P/O Jan Halastra, air gunner,
Sgt Wacław Żeligowski, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Perk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0234 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

DV763

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Upper Heyford - Upper Heyford

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The airplane departed RAF Upper Heyford at 2312LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Perk. Two crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ronald James Robinson, pilot, †
F/O Charles O'Brien, observer, †
Sgt Elton Taylor Beal,
F/Sgt Joseph Major William Forster,
Sgt H. E. De Mone.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Moustier-sur-Sambre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0231 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

W5618

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Moreton-in-Marsh - Moreton-in-Marsh

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The airplane departed RAF Moreton-in-Marsh at 2307LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Moustier-sur-Sambre. Four crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Frederick Bruce Albright, pilot, †
F/Sgt John Hamilion Forsyth, pilot,
P/O William Mortimer Richards, air gunner, †
Sgt Rex Theodore Burt, †
Sgt Ernest Victor Stephens, †
Sgt Douglas Alexander George Watkins.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Binche: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0210 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1311

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

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Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Breighton - Breighton

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The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2325LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Binche, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt John Francis Walsh, pilot,
Sgt William Marcel Spongberg, pilot,
Sgt Maurice Michael Fitzgerald, observer,
Sgt Thomas Lee, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Bruce Moore, wireless operator,
Sgt Wallace Hugh Sams, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Voorheide: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0208 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

R5794

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Scampton - Scampton

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The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 0007LT on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Voorheide. Five crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O William Clifford Shackleton, pilot, †
F/Sgt Reginald Henry Hobson Garratt, pilot, †
Sgt Frank William Moles Wilson, observer, †
Sgt Reginald Cyril Shannon, wireless operator,
Sgt Charles Douglas Nolan, wireless operator,
Sgt George John Arscott Miles, air gunner, †
Sgt Ernest Albert Patey, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Bossut: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0155 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1064

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Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George

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The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2306LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. While homebound, the starboard inner engine began to vibrate and within a short time the unit seized. The Halifax was then attacked by a nigh-fighter and crashed near Bossut. Two crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Ronald Augustus West, pilot, †
Sgt William Joseph Norfolk,
Sgt John Anthony Oldfield,
Sgt Peter Wright,
Sgt John Robert Thompson, air gunner, †
P/O Walter Barton Mulligan.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Antwerp: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

HX375

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Wing - Wing

Location:

Antwerp

Country:

Belgium

Region:

Europe

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The airplane departed RAF Wing at 2259LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the harbor of Antwerp. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Edmonds, pilot,
F/Sgt Richard Ironmonger Derry, pilot,
F/Sgt Keith Barkley Utman, observer,
Sgt Bruce Henry Edye, wireless operator,
Sgt Geoffrey Horner, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Waasmont

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0311 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5586

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Harwell - Harwell

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The airplane departed RAF Harwell at 2340LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Waasmont. All five crew members were able to bail out and became PoW.
Crew:
W/O John Edward Hatton, pilot,
P/O J. B. Harper, navigator,
F/Sgt R. Hill, wireless operator,
Sgt Reginald John Collins, air gunner,
Sgt Freferick Raymond Hindle, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Montigny-le-Tilleul: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0246 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1791

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Harwell - Harwell

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The airplane departed RAF Harwell at 2314LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Montigny-le-Tilleul. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Dennis John Paul, pilot,
W/O Stanley Maurice Green, observer, †
F/Sgt Thomas Leo Lyons, wireless operator, †
Sgt James McCormack, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt "Bunny" Evans, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Bree: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0214 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7301

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Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe

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The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2301LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Following an uneventful mission, the airplane returned to base when, while flying over Belgium at night, it was shot down by the German Flak. The captain ordered his crew to bail out. Sole on board, he attempted an emergency landing in Bree, some 21 km northwest of Gent. Unfortunately, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a drainage ditch and was destroyed. The captain was killed and all six others occupants evaded.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O Leslie Thomas Manser, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie Harold Baveystock, pilot,
P/O Richard John Barnes, radio navigator,
P/O Robert Milham Horsley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stanley Edward King, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Allan McFadyen Mills, air gunner,
Sgt Benjamin William Naylor, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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