Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Camaret-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1941 at 1537 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R3841
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chivenor - Chivenor
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Chivenor on an anti-shipping mission. While climbing to an altitude of 1,000 feet towards the French coast, the airplane crashed into the sea off Camaret-sur-Mer. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Frodsham,
W/Cdr Christopher Grant Hill,
F/Sgt Charles Duthrie McPhee.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Bourthes: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
T4260
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
1913
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 2135LT on an operation to Boulogne. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Bourthes, about 27 km southeast of Boulogne. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Brian Austin Childs, pilot,
Sgt James Arthur Norris, pilot,
P/O Robert John Wyndham Williams, observer,
F/Sgt Alfred Pearsall Clifford-Reade, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Thomas Selley, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Saint-Sever: 14 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1941 at 0500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2897
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2150LT on an operation to Mérignac, Bordeaux. While cruising at night, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed onto several houses located in the center of the village of Saint-Sever, bursting into flames. A crew survived and became PoW while five other occupants were killed. The airplane and the houses were destroyed and nine people on the ground were also killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ernest John Holland, observer, †
Sgt Ronald Hutchinson, wireless operator, †
P/O Ronald Rutherford Morison, pilot, †
Sgt John Leo Guy Westley, pilot, †
Sgt Walter Hugh Wilkinson, air gunner, †
Sgt K. C. H. Rawlings.
Those killed on the ground were:
Mr. & Mrs. Léon Champion,
Guy Boudier,
Marcel Champagne,
Paulette Vaudry,
Gabrielle Bricod,
Jeanine Lebedel,
Georges Morel,
Maurice Brochet.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Brest: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1442
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 1930LT on an operation to Brest. While approaching the target area, it crashed into the sea, maybe after being shot down by enemy fire. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Robert Edward Venning Anderson, observer,
Sgt John Donald Brown,
Sgt Tahu William Dabinette,
Sgt David Francis Henderson,
Sgt Arthur George Plumb,
Sgt George Stewartson Snoddon.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim in Lille: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8616
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Manston on an operation to Northern France. While approaching the airfield of Lille-Lesquin, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near the airport. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O George Arthur Simpson, pilot,
Sgt Horace Charles Jack Brewer, observer,
Sgt Thomas George Frank Nicholls, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Pihen-lès-Guînes: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AD899
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington on a mine laying operation when it crashed in unknown circumstances near Pihen-lès-Guînes. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Joseph George Curley, pilot,
P/O Edward Townley Laverack, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Ashurst, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Stevenson Campbell, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1941 at 0600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N1016
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
MSN:
9103
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval to attack ships in the harbor of Brest. Approaching the target, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Kenneth Campbell, pilot,
Sgt James Philip Scott, observer,
F/Sgt Ralph Walter Hillman, wireless operator,
Sgt William Cecil Mulliss, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5962
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Morlaix. All three crew members were killed.
crew:
F/Sgt Ronald Fitzpatrick,
P/O Maurice Walter Lishman,
P/O Arnold Walter Martin.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Saint-Renan: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AD738
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1900LT on an operation to Brest. Over Britany, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Saint-Renan. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Patrick Julyan Polglase, pilot,
P/O Walter Brown, navigator,
F/Sgt George Allanson, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward J. Holman, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Trébeurden: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
Z6556
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2027
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1856LT on March 3 on an operation to Brest. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Trébeurden, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Lt James Harrington, pilot,
Sgt John Kirkwood Purdon, pilot,
Sgt Cecil Calvert, wireless operator,
Sgt Daniel Gilfillan Farmer, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Halford Knighton, observer.