Date & Time:
Nov 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7801
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Skitten - Skitten
Country:
Norway
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skitten to bomb a water production plant located in Vemork, Norway (Operation Freshman), and was towing a Horsa glider. Over the region of Helleland, the crew encountered severe icing conditions. The airplane went out of control and crashed on the slope of Mt Jonsoknuten located 6 km east of Helleland. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew.
F/Lt Arthur Roland Parkinson, pilot,
P/O Gerard Walter Sewell de Gency, pilot,
Sgt James Falconer, flight engineer,
F/O Arnold Thomas Hayward Haward, observer,
F/Lt Arthur Edwin Thomas, observer,
F/Sgt Albert Buckton, wireless operator,
F/Sgt George Mercier Edwards, air gunner.
Crew.
F/Lt Arthur Roland Parkinson, pilot,
P/O Gerard Walter Sewell de Gency, pilot,
Sgt James Falconer, flight engineer,
F/O Arnold Thomas Hayward Haward, observer,
F/Lt Arthur Edwin Thomas, observer,
F/Sgt Albert Buckton, wireless operator,
F/Sgt George Mercier Edwards, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Icing conditions.
