Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Nogent-le-Rotrou: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1943 at 0020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT768
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Nogent-le-Rotrou
Orne
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2220LT on July 15 on an operation to the Peugeot factory based in Montbéliard (Sochaux). It suffered a double engine failure in flight, forcing the crew to bail out. The pilot attempted an emergency landing but the airplane crashed in an open field and was destroyed. The pilot and the bomb aimer were killed. Four other crew members became PoW and one evaded.
Crew (78 Sq):
P/O Oswald Peter Marshall, pilot, †
F/O Peter Derek Ablett, flight engineer,
P/O David John Gibson, navigator,
F/O Norman Stewart Matthew Reid, bomb aimer, †
Sgt I. J. Sansum, wireless operator,
Sgt Anthony James Stevenson, air gunner,
Sgt B. A. Lee, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Breighton

Date & Time: Jul 15, 1943 at 2202 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT771
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Breighton AFB
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2202LT on an operation to the Peugeot factory based in Montbéliard (Sochaux). Due to a faulty airspeed indicator, the pilot tried to abort the takeoff procedure but he was unable to prevent the airplane from crashing beyond the perimeter fence, ending up in a potato field. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew (78 Sq):
F/O G. Carver, pilot,
Sgt A. Wiltshire, flight engineer,
Sgt S. Wood, navigator,
Sgt E. Allen, bomb aimer,
Sgt R. Saiger, wireless operator,
Sgt R. C. hyde, air gunner,
Sgt H. Clark, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Aborted takeoff due to a faulty airspeed indicator.

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

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1943 at 0236 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JD108
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Froidchapelle
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2349LT on July 13 on an operation to Aachen. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Froidchapelle. Three crew members were killed, three evaded and two became PoW.
Crew (78 Sq):
W/O Kenneth Alan Toon, pilot, †
Sgt D. W. G. Cowell, pilot,
Sgt L. G. Donaldson, flight engineer,
Sgt R. Falcus, navigator,
P/O H. J. Burridge, bomb aimer, †
Sgt R. Falcus, wireless operator,
Sgt G. M. Campbell, air gunner,
F/Lt John Douglas Nesbitt, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1943 at 0123 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB801
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Giessenburg
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2333LT on July 13 on an operation to Aachen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Giessenburg, killing the entire crew.
Crew (78 Sq):
W/O Peter Horrocks, pilot,
Sgt Wyndham Hadrian Harries, flight engineer,
F/O Charles Douglas Alexander Hosken, navigator,
Sgt Arthur Stanley Jelfs, bomb aimer,
Sgt Jack Chaplin, wireless operator,
Sgt Geoffrey Bowden, air gunner,
Sgt Richard William Rouse, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JD175
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Cologne
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2332LT on July 13 on an operation to Aachen. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the vicinity of Cologne, killing the entire crew.
Crew (78 Sq):
W/O C. M. Colburn, pilot,
Sgt F. Oakley, flight engineer,
Sgt A. R. Lutes, navigator,
Sgt Z. Yonker, bomb aimer,
Sgt A. Slack, wireless operator,
Sgt W. V. Gerrard, air gunner,
Sgt W. Robinson, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Seaford

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1943 at 0515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JD157
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Seaford
East Sussex
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2305LT on July 9 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. It was hit by the German Flak over the target area and later badly shot about by a German fighter. Despite very severe handling problems, the crew was able to reach the south coast of England where the airplane was ditched some 150 metres off the beach at Seaford. All seven crew members were rescued.
Crew:
F/Sgt S. Liggett, pilot,
Sgt E. A. Gosling, flight engineer,
Sgt L. Trowbridge, navigator,
Sgt W. Watt, bomb aimer,
Sgt J. Birrell, wireless operator,
Sgt L. E. Hughes, air gunner,
Sgt K. W. Smith, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Ashtead

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JD203
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Ashtead
Surrey
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2309LT on July 3 on an operation to Cologne. Over the target area, it was badly shot about by the German Flak. The crew was able to return to England and upon regaining the south coast, the airplane was partially abandoned. It crash landed in Ashtead and was wrecked. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
S/L P. Bunclark, pilot,
F/Sgt E. F. C. Matthews, flight engineer,
Sgt J. S. Moore, navigator,
Sgt K. T. Dixon, bomb aimer,
F/Lt D. Bradford, wireless operator,
P/O J. G. R. Castle, air gunner,
F/Sgt L. A. Mallory, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1943 at 0135 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB907
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Valkenburg
Limburg
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton in the evening of June 28 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Valkenburg, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Patrick William James Rendle, pilot,
Sgt Leslie Howarth, flight engineer,
Sgt Cecil Andrew Morris, navigator,
Sgt Gwilym John Samuel, navigator,
Sgt Theodore Ivan Lishman Dagg, wireless operator,
Sgt Frank Hill, air gunner,
F/Sgt William Russell Townsend, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Alkmaar: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0051 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB928
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Alkmaar
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton in the evening of June 25 on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Alkmaar. The pilot was killed and six others crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Major Hugh Oddie, pilot, †
Sgt Alexander David Gillespie, flight engineer,
Sgt Arthur James Hutchinson, navigator,
P/O Philip Daulby, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt A. J. Guy, wireless operator,
Sgt Trevor Lloyd Roberts, air gunner,
P/O Dalby William Lusty, air gunner.

Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1943 at 0128 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB962
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Zons
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2300LT on June 24 on an operation to Wuppertal. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Zons, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Kenneth Forbes Morrison, pilot,
Sgt William Barry, flight engineer,
Sgt Patrick Arthur Kennedy, navigator,
Sgt Ian MacRae, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Cox, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Ernest William Joseph Collingwood, air gunner,
Sgt Thomas Samuel Payne, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
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