Crash of a Vickers 456 Warwick I in Shrewton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BV214
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Boscombe Down - Boscombe Down
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Boscombe Down on a local test flight on this first production model of the Warwick. While practicing dives, the crew lost control of the airplane after fabric panels detached from the wings. The airplane crashed in Shrewton, about 12 km northwest of the airbase. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
S/L William Joseph Carr, pilot,
Cpl Raymond Leigh,
Cpl Frederick William Shenton,
Mr. Eric R. Staniland.
Probable cause:
Loss of control after fabric panels detached from the wings.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I at RAF Castle Kennedy

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6173
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
7864/20
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Castle Kennedy, the airplane collided with a Fairey Battle registered P6644 and crashed short of runway. All four crew members escaped with various injuries.
Crew:
Sgt W. Ostrowski +3.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III off Allonby: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AM676
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Silloth - Silloth
MSN:
414-2758
YOM:
1941
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Silloth on a local training exercise. In unclear circumstances, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed into the Solway Firth, few hundreds metres off Allonby. All five crew members were killed. The wreckage was found on September 6.
Crew:
Sgt Alexander Cowie,
Sgt Peter Hamilton Dawson,
F/Sgt Robert Douglas McKenzie, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Harold Roy McMillan, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Lloyd Randall, wireless operator.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland near Braemore: 14 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 1342 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4026
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Oban – Invergordon – Keflavik
Region:
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The seaplane departed Oban to Keflavik with an intermediate stop at RAF Invergordon, carrying 11 crew members and three passengers, among them Prince George, Duke of Kent, who was flying to Iceland on an official visit. Few minutes after takeoff from RAF Invergordon, while cruising in poor visibility due to bad weather conditions, the seaplane hit the Eagle's Rock hill located near Breamore, about 55 km northwest of Inverness. The air gunner was seriously injured while all 14 other occupants were killed.
Crew (228th Squadron):
F/Lt Frank McKenzie Goyen, pilot, †
W/Cdr Thomas Lawton Moseley, copilot, †
F/O Sydney Wood Smith, copilot, †
P/O George Richard Saunders, navigator, †
F/Sgt William Royston Jones, flight engineer, †
Sgt Leonard Sweett, flight engineer and fitter, †
F/Sgt Charles Norman Lewis, airframe fitter, †
F/Sgt Edward James Hewerdine, wireless operator, †
Sgt Edward Francis Blacklock, wireless operator, †
Sgt Arthur Rowland Catt, wireless operator, †
Sgt Andrew Simpson William Jack, air gunner.
Passengers:
Air Commodore George Edward Alexander Windsor, HRH Prince George, The Duke of Kent, †
Lt John Crowther, private secretary, †
P/O C. V. Michael Strutt, †
Lac John Walter Hales. †
Probable cause:
The aircraft was equipped with a new gyro-compass few days prior to the accident and the crew was not familiar with it. According to the Board of investigations, it appears that the accident occurred as a result of navigational error. The crew failed to make sufficient allowance for a strong on-shore wind and allowed the aircraft to drift over high ground before it gained sufficient altitude to clear the hilly terrain. According to the Hansard Report of October 7th 1942, blame was apportioned to the captain of the aircraft, "Who changed flight plan for reasons unknown and descended through cloud without making sure he was over water, and crashed." Poor visibility due to bad weather conditions was considered as a contributory factor.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Abingdon

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0041 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BF335
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 2019LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. It was badly shit about by a German fighter and later crashed while trying to land at RAF Abingdon. All seven crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Crew:
Sgt James Edward Land, pilot,
Sgt S. A. Pearce, flight engineer,
Sgt George Hayes, navigator,
Sgt L. J. Walter, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frank Edward Davidson, wireless operator,
Sgt Gordon Frederick Eldridge, air gunner,
F/Sgt Charles Robert Bee, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Lakenheath: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 24, 1942 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6083
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 2119LT on an operation to Frankfurt. Almost immediately after liftoff, one of the engine caught fire. The pilot elected to return to base but the airplane crashed 1,6 km southeast of the airfield, bursting into flames. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Eric Pierce Wynn, pilot,
P/O James Arthur Trotter,
Sgt Ronald Lindsay Raphael, flight engineer,
F/Lt Denis Arthur Pebworth, observer,
F/Sgt Alexander Nelson Charlton, wireless operator,
Sgt William Green, air gunner,
F/Sgt Stanley Martin, air gunner.
Probable cause:
An engine caught fire after takeoff.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I off RAF Evanton

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6189
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Evanton - Evanton
MSN:
7864/36
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training sortie out of RAF Evanton. While returning to base, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed into the Cromarty Firth. All four crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Lac R. H. B. Searle +3.
Probable cause:
Engine failure on approach to base.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Glasgow

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1110
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
8393
YOM:
1938
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure in flight. The pilot continued to the airport of Glasgow-Renfrew where the airplane overshot and crashed in a shelter. The pilot was uninjured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Edward Sanetra, pilot.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I on Mt Tal-y-Fan: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6318
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Squires Gate - Squires Gate
MSN:
7870/15
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Squires Gate on a navigation exercise. En route, the twin engine airplane entered a cloudy area when it impacted the northeast slope of Mt Tal-y-Fan located 3 km northwest of Rowen. The wreckage and all five dead bodies were found a day later.
Crew (3rd School of General Reconnaissance):
W/O Herford Linton Pendal, pilot,
Sgt Robert Wilmore Patrick, navigator,
Sgt John Bernard Wood, navigator,
AC1 Ronald Ibbetson, wireless operator,
AC1 Andrew Smyth, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47-DL on Mt Moel y Gaer: 12 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-7803
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Prestwick – Atcham
MSN:
4308
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a personnel transport from Prestwick to RAF Atcham on behalf of the 64th Transport Group. While flying northeast of Denbigh, the pilot encountered clouds and the visibility was poor. Flying too low, the airplane impacted the north slope of Mt Moel y Gaer located near Bodfari and was destroyed upon impact. A passenger was seriously injured while 12 other occupants were killed.
Crew (64th TG):
1st Lt Charles Edward Williams, pilot,
1st Lt Richard Pazder, navigator,
2nd Lt Theodore F. Furness Jr.,
2nd Lt Morris B. Penner.
Passengers:
Pvt Harry R. Adams,
T/Sgt Jonathan B. Akers,
T/Sgt Robert E. Anderson,
T/Sgt Israel Gross,
T/Sgt Herman A. Hermes,
T/Sgt Raymond S. Nash,
T/Sgt Jesse L. Patterson,
T/Sgt George A. Lesikar.