Zone

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Aalten: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0123 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BK767
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chedburgh - Chedburgh
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 2348LT on June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Aalten. Five crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Bernard Henry Church, pilot, †
Sgt William Harris Thompson, flight engineer, †
Sgt Edwin Griffiths Taylor, navigator,
F/O John Frederick Tritton, bomb aimer, †
F/O Keith Allan Neilson, wireless operator,
Sgt William Thomas Davis, air gunner, †
Sgt Frederick Mills, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Aalten: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1943 at 0236 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4925
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby in the evening of April 30 on an operation to Essen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Aalten. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt James Wallace Potts, pilot,
F/Sgt Frank Bruce Gillan, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Martin, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Derek Sheldon, navigator,
Sgt William Woodland, navigator,
F/Sgt Kenneth Hall, wireless operator,
Sgt Leonard Gill, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Sidney Harris, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.