Bombing | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1930LT on an operation to Nuremberg. While cruising over France at an altitude of 14,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and caught fire. All seven crew members parachuted to safety and the airplane entered a dive and crashed in Brizeaux. Five crew members became PoW and two evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Ralph Charles Frederick Hibben, pilot,
Sgt Raymond Atkinson,
Sgt Harry Mildred Simpson,
Sgt Frederick Roy Slocombe,
Sgt W. Hughes,
Sgt A. R. Mansford,
Sgt Edward George Sawkins, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 in Zaandam: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 2240 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

Operator:

Registration:

U5+DL

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Gilze-Rijen - Gilze-Rijen

MSN:

5597

YOM:

1943

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The airplane departed Gilze-Rijen AFB on an operation to England. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Zaandam and was destroyed. Two crew members were killed.
Crew:
Obfw F. Schreiber, pilot, †
Gefr H. Helfensteller, radio operator. †

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Blåvandshuk: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 2230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

BK429

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

East Moor - East Moor

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The airplane departed RAF East Moor at 1852LT to lay mines in the Nectarines area. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Blåvandshuk. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Alfred Holbech, pilot,
F/O David I'Anson Cartwright,
Sgt John Ernest Walter Heydon,
Sgt Robert Richard Parry,
F/Sgt Joseph Neree Andre Mauric Tremblay, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Blåvandshuk: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 2230 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

X3284

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

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The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1832LT to lay mines in the Nectarines area. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Blåvandshuk, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O George Raymond Baker, pilot,
Sgt Leo Joseph Baribeau,
F/Sgt Dexter Brand Coons,
W/O Donald Parker McLachlan,
W/O Lawrence Murphy,
F/Sgt Max Zeavin.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Élan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 2213 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

R9149

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Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 2004LT on an operation to Munich. Outbound, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Élan. The pilot was killed, three became PoW and three evaded.
Crew:
P/O Frank Morton Tomlinson, pilot, †
Sgt L. Marsh, flight engineer,
Sgt D. M. Cox, navigator,
Sgt G. R. Howard, bomb aimer,
Sgt C. Davies, wireless operator,
Sgt James Jennings, air gunner,
W/O Vincent Albert Fox, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Filskov: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 2158 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

BK368

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Kirmington - Kirmington

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The airplane departed RAF Kirmington at 1843LT on a mine laying operation. Approaching Billund, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Filskov. Four crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
P/O John Patrick Kavanagh, pilot, †
F/O Donald George Denslow, navigator, †
Sgt James Sandilands, bomb aimer,
P/O Allen Lewis Weller, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Bullen, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III at RAF Chedburgh

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 2039 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

R9358

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Chedburgh - Chedburgh

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Because another RAF Stirling crashed while taking off from RAF Chedburgh earlier that day, only the short runway was available. While taking off, the port oleo of the Stirling registered R9358 failed to retract and the bomber clipped a tree and a house before coming down 1,6 km from the airfield, bursting into flames. All seven crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt D. C. Moore, pilot,
Sgt H. G. Claridge,
Sgt J. C. Chalmers,
Sgt L. G. Wright,
Sgt T. J. Wilson,
Sgt J. E. Flack,
Sgt H. A. Wilson, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Sudbury

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 0300 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

EF328

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Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

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The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1945LT on March 8 on an operation to Nuremberg. While returning to base the following night, both starboard engines failed and the airplane crash landed near Sudbury and was destroyed. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O G. T. P. Southall, pilot,
Sgt H. Murray,
Sgt D. A. Nicol,
P/O R. R. Clifton,
Sgt J. K. Dawes,
P/O G. P. Read,
F/Sgt H. I. Stott, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Failure of both starboard engines in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Ors: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 0030 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W7851

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Schedule:

Graveley - Graveley

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The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1924LT on an operation to Nuremberg. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Ors. Three crew members were killed, three became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
F/O John Hilton Brown, pilot, †
Sgt Alan Tacey, flight engineer,
S/L Gomer Donald Waterer, navigator,
Sgt Albert Geroge Coulam, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt David Aitken Sibbald, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Patrick Flynn, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Stanley Seymour Vinicombe, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Fürstenfeldbruck AFB: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

ED703

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Syerston - Syerston

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The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2025LT on an operation to Munich. It crashed in unknown circumstances near Fürstenfeldbruck AFB, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Francis Llewellyn D'oyly Walters, pilot,
Sgt Henry McCullough, flight engineer,
Sgt Arthur Raymond Spencer, navigator,
Sgt Frank Bestwick, bomb aimer,
P/O Gerald Arthur Young, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Briggs,air gunner,
W/O Charles Francis Daley, air gunner.

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