Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Liebenberg: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1944 at 1936 LT
Operator:
Registration:
JN899
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1636LT on a bombing mission over Berlin. Claimed by Oblt Wilhelm Johnen 5/NJG5 - NNW Berlin at 1936LT. Also claimed by 3rd battery of the Railway Flak Department 416. Crashed in a forest near Liebenberg, between Grüneberg and Liebenberg, southeast of Löwenberg. All seven occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Osmotherley: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
LW334
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crew was performing a training exercise from RAF Topcliffe. In unknown circumstances, aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and was destroyed by impact forces. All six occupants were killed.
Crew (all Canadians citizens):
F/O Joseph P. Lavallee, pilot,
Sgt. Richard G. Kimball, navigator,
F/O Wilfred L. Boisvert, flight engineer,
F/O Walter Phillips, bomb aimer,
W/O George E. Giff, W/Operator,
Sgt. Guy H. Hivon, gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Marcols-les-Eaux: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1943 at 0030 LT
Operator:
Registration:
DT726
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Tempsford - Tempsford
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Tempsford on the evening of November 3, bound for south of France to proceed on a support dropping mission to the French Resistance. While cruising by night, the aircraft hit the Rocher de Bourboulas at a height of 1,170 meters and crashed near the Quatre Vios Pass, Ardèche. A loud bang was heard by locals who arrived quickly on the scene and rescued a crew member who was slightly injured while all seven other occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O H. F. Hodges, †
Sgt H. T. Penfold, †
F/S H. Smith, †
P/O R. K. Pulling, †
Sgt J. Barthélemy, †
F/S R. L. Nott, †
Cpt J. A. Estes, †
Sgt J. F. Borough.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Blackden Edge: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
HR727
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew, stationed at Snaith in Yorkshire were taking part in a raid against the German city of Frankfurt. The outward leg proceeded normally until shortly after they had released their bomb load over the target area. The aircraft was illuminated by a searchlight and engaged by flak and a night fighter sustaining hits to the port inner engine setting it alight and the No.2 fuel tank. The pilot took evasive action by corkscrewing the aircraft from 19,000 feet to 9,000 feet successfully evading further contact. As well as the fuel loss from the damage to one of the tanks, the loss of the port inner engine meant that some functions were also lost. Most could be carried out entirely manually but the engines generator provided power to the aircraft's batteries that powered the mid-upper turret, beam approach radio equipment and the R1154 / T1155 radio. These would work only as long as the charge remained in the batteries. The aircraft passed its turning points as far as Reading, shortly after the radio failed as the batteries had been drained. The weather at this point had deteriorated with low cloud and rain, effectively removing any chance of seeing landmarks such as rivers which would aid in locating Snaith, or another airfield. Eventually the pilot began to descend through the cloud to be able to find landmarks but while still in cloud, and virtually out of fuel, the aircraft flew into the ground on Blackden Edge. The aircraft broke up over a fairly wide area, most of the crew who died were killed in the crash but the Sergeant Lane survived the crash but was severely injured and died before help, summoned by Sgt Mack, arrived the following day.
Crew (51st Squadron):
Sgt Ernest Hatfield Fenning, pilot, †
W/O Jean Gilbert Felix Fortin, navigator, †
Sgt Eric George Lane, flight engineer, †
Sgt Victor Garland, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frank Allan Squibbs, wireless operator, †
Sgt Boris Karl Short, air gunner, †
Sgt James B. Mack, air gunner.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistricthr727.htm
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak and a German nigh fighter as well.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Saint-Georges-d’Espéranche: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
JN904
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lissett - Lissett
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Lissett, East Yorkshire, on a bombing mission to Italy. While overflying the east part of France by night, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a wooded area located 14 km east of Vienna. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (158th Squadron):
Sgt E. Le Huray,
Sgt H. Pennell,
Sgt F. G. Shaw,
Sgt T. A. Roberts,
Sgt C. A. Budd,
Sgt A. V. M. Barron,
Sgt V. G. E. Briant.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Annecy: 11 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1943 at 0110 LT
Operator:
Registration:
JD180
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Tempsford - Tempsford
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Tempsford in the evening of August 14 on a supply mission to the French Resistance at the Fretallaz Pass located 10 km north of Annecy. While approaching the target, an engine caught fire (maybe the number three) and the captain attempted to make an emergency landing when he lost control of the aircraft that crashed in flames on two houses located in Pont de Tasset, near Meythet. The squadron leader was the only survivor as all six other crew members were killed plus five people on the ground, among them two children.
Crew (138th Squadron):
S/L Franck Griffiths, pilot,
Lt Roderick Mackenzie, copilot, †
Lt Sydney Congdon, navigator, †
P/O Robert Peters, signaler, †
F/Sgt Franck Pollard, air gunner, †
Sgt Frederick Davies, flight engineer, †
Sgt John Maden, dispatcher. †
Civilians killed:
Della Vedora Erminia,
Della Vedora Serge,
Della Vedora Olivier,
Krattinger Pierre,
Maritand Ernest.
Probable cause:
Engine fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in 't Zand: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0240 LT
Operator:
Registration:
JB843
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2334LT on June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in 't Zand, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Gore, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Mitchell Sugden, flight engineer,
Sgt John Harold Wright, navigator,
Sgt Thomas Eric Judd, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frederick Henry Mitchell, wireless operator,
Sgt David Albert Harris Gough, air gunner,
Sgt John Bartholomew Foskett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Hardewijk: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0201 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HR731
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2338LT on June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the IJsselmeer some 20 km northeast of Hardewijk. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Anthony Osmond, pilot,
Sgt Brinley Huggan, flight engineer,
Sgt Geoffrey Charles Mortimer, navigator,
Sgt Thomas George Barton, bomb aimer,
Sgt Phillip Blundell, wireless operator,
Sgt John Emerson, air gunner,
Sgt James Rorison, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Wanroij: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0158 LT
Operator:
Registration:
JD261
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2340LT on June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Wanroij, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Derek Henry Victor Davis, pilot,
Sgt Jack Roberts, flight engineer,
Sgt Albert Henry Hawes, navigator,
F/O Derek George Howse, bomb aimer,
Sgt Alexander Duncan McFarlane, wireless operator,
Sgt Alfred William Fairmaner, air gunner,
F/Sgt Keith Robertson Wood, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Holtwick: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0128 LT
Operator:
Registration:
JB858
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2324LT on June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Approaching the target area from the north, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Holtwick. Seven crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Frederick Male, pilot, †
Sgt Bruce Ryerson Milligan, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Banks Wright, flight engineer,
F/O Frederick Campbell Culbert, navigator, †
Sgt John Henry McNess, bomb aimer, †
Sgt David Aiken, wireless operator, †
Sgt George Nelson Acton, air gunner, †
Sgt John Douglas Bruce Hunter, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.