Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Ramsey St Mary's: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6043
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury in the evening of August 14 on an operation to Hanover. After takeoff, the port inner engine lost power and the pilot was unable to maintain a safe altitude. The airplane crashed just north of Ramsey St Mary's. A wireless operator was killed and six other crew members were rescued.
Crew:
S/L J. Foulsham, pilot,
Sgt William Alford Conn, wireless operator, †
Sgt A. H. Hayes,
Sgt R. N. Chancelor,
Sgt E. J. Griffiths,
Sgt P. G. Osman,
Sgt D. F. Ferguson.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power after takeoff.

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

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W7434
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 in the evening of August 14 on an operation to Hanover. While returning to base the following night, it crashed while trying to land in poor visibility. There were no casualties.
Crew:
F/O D. T. Witt,
Sgt S. G. Matkin,
Sgt D. White,
Sgt J. R. Alverson,
F/S M. G. Gardiner,
Sgt L. A. Penn,
P/O A. H. Piper.

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

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1941 at 2210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W7435
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2210LT on an operation to Magdeburg. It crashed almost immediately after developing a swing which could not be controlled. There were no casualties.
Crew.
P/O E. J. Guild,
Sgt E. P. De Ville,
Sgt T. H. B. Jones,
Sgt W. C. Mackenzie,
Sgt A. Needham,
Sgt A. D. Wallace,
Sgt F. C. Snead.

Crash of a Consolidated LB-30A Liberator at RAF Heathfield: 22 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1941 at 2040 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AM260
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Heathfield – Gander – Montreal
MSN:
169
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
The pilot started the take off procedure from runway 06. The aircraft failed to rotate, overran and impacted an embankment, bounced then crashed in a huge explosion on a second embankment. All 22 occupants were killed.
Crew (BOAC & ATA):
Cpt Richard Charles Stafford, pilot,
F/O Earl Wellington Watson,
Richard Coates, radio officer,
Roland Folford Davis, flight engineer.
Passengers:
F/O Elbert Beard Anding,
Joseph Culbert, radio officer,
Cpt Murray Benjamin Dilley Jr., pilot,
Robert Arnold Duncan, radio officer,
Cpt Alton Chester Earle, pilot,
Wesley Francis J. Goddard, radio officer,
Cpt Edward Hamel, pilot,
Donald Norman Hannant, radio officer,
Cpt Gerald Hull, pilot,
Cpt John Joseph Kerwin, pilot,
Philip Francis Lee, first officer,
Glenwood McKay, radio officer,
John Joseph MacDonald, radio officer,
Cpt James John Moffat, pilot,
Mr. Arthur Blakie Purvis (civilian),
Albert Tamblin, radio officer,
Walter Lee Trimble, first officer,
Martin Joseph Wetzel, first officer.
Source and photos:
http://www.aircrashsites-scotland.co.uk/liberator_lb-30a_heathfield.htm
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command started the takeoff procedure from runway 06 which was too short for such type of airplane.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Badsey: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1941 at 0040 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AD935
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2020LT on August 13 on a training exercise. At 0040LT, it impacted trees and crashed in Badsey, two miles east of Evesham. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
P/O Ernest Rene Davis, pilot, †
Sgt Gilbert Arthur Newbold, pilot, †
Sgt W. Wells.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near RAF Upwood

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941 at 1205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5758
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training sortie from RAF Upwood. While cruising in the vicinity of the airfield, one of the engine failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a field located 6 km north of the airbase. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt G. P. Kerr,
Sgt W. A. Brown,
Sgt A. I. Comeau.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I at RAF Middleton Saint George: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941 at 0525 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L9562
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2129LT on August 12 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following morning and passing over the North Sea, it was attacked and severely damaged by a Me.109. Nevertheless, the crew was able to continue but on approach to RAF Middleton St George, the airplane stalled and crashed, bursting into flames. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Reginald James McInnes, pilot,
F/Sgt John McHale, pilot,
Sgt Stanley Charles Mayes, observer,
Sgt Cecil Austin, flight engineer,
Sgt Lorne Edwin Brown, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward Peter Hogan, wireless operator,
F/Sgt James Gardner Simpson West, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941 at 0520 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2716
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2114LT on August 12 on an operation to Hanover. Over the target area, the airplane was hit by the German Flak then severely damaged by a German fighter. While returning to base the following morning, the airplane crashed upon landing. Two crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Gerald Morris, †
Sgt Arthur Noel Hampson, wireless operator, †
P/O D. P. Foxm,
Sgt G. H. R. Woodhouse,
F/Sgt D. E. Batten,
Sgt A. Jones.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I in Hindolveston

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941 at 0445 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L9497
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2125LT on August 12 on an operation to Berlin. It was hit by the German Flak in the port outer engine which later failed completely. It crash landed at 0445LT at Ashcroft Farm near Hindolveston. All seven crew members were rescued and both pilots were injured.
Crew:
P/O J. McGregor-Cheers,
Sgt Burns,
Sgt W. N. Collins,
Sgt A. A. S. Heggie,
Sgt J. Fuller,
Sgt J. B. Anderson,
P/O V. M. Markham.
Probable cause:
Damaged by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Coltishall: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1941 at 0220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2563
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2134LT on August 12 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, it was attacked by the crew of a JU.88 and severely damaged. Nevertheless, the crew was able to divert to RAF Coltishall where he attempted an emergency landing. The pilot missed the airfield and the airplane landed half way down the runway then crashed into a barn, bursting into flames. A crew was killed and five others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Bernard George Evans, air gunner, †
P/O Wood,
P/O A. J. A. Day,
Sgt S. W. Morton,
Sgt R. A. Hodges,
Sgt C. D. Tavener.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.