Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Bergen aan Zee: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1942 at 0030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1056
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Bergen aan Zee
North 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 Leeming at 2305LT on July 2 on an operation to Bremen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the North Sea off Bergen aan Zee. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ernest Joseph Lawer, pilot,
Sgt David Morris Jones, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert Tom Charles Martin, navigator,
Sgt Harold John Gill, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt John Joseph Francis Martin, wireless operator,
Sgt Henry Arthur George, air gunner,
Sgt Owen Llewellyn Williams, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Leeming: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1942 at 1445 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1155
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Leeming AFB
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew were completing a local test flight at RAF Leeming. On approach, while turning on final, the airplane lost height, struck trees and crashed onto a search light battery. Five crew members as well as two soldiers on the ground were killed. The air gunner in the turret survived.
Crew:
Sgt William Joseph Walter Wiseman, pilot, †
Sgt John Alfred Carter, flight engineer, †
F/O James Gordon Mutter, navigator, †
Sgt Stanley Valentine Duvall, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Donald Ross Stewart, air gunner, †
P/O Douglas Alfred Street, air gunner.
Ground staff killed:
Gun Tom Jobson Owers, †
Gun John William Kay. †
Probable cause:
The investigation suspected that cause of the accident was partly down to an elevator malfunction, blaming the possibility of the trimmer control wire connections being reversed.

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

Date & Time: Jun 21, 1942 at 0259 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
BB201
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Petten
North 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 Leeming on an operation to Emden. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 10 km off Petten. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Harold Jackson,
F/Sgt Geoffrey Patrick Jones,
F/Sgt Joseph Leslie Salisbury,
Sgt George Arthur Sargan,
P/O Edward Ronald Senior,
P/O Gordon John Waller,
F/O Absalom Samuel Williams.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1942 at 2357 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1158
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Maunby
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 Leeming at 2325LT on an operation to Emden. Few minutes after takeoff, the crew encountered technical problems and elected to return. On final approach, the airplane crash landed in a field located in Maunby, about 5 km southeast of the airbase, bursting into flames. All seven occupants escaped with minor injuries while the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
Sgt Phiip Gordon Bell, pilot,
Sgt Gerard James Yewlett, flight engineer,
Sgt Kenneth Hughes Whitmore, navigator,
Sgt William Albert Yendell, bomb aimer,
Sgt W. L. Taylor, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Henry Pepper, air gunner,
Sgt J. T. Williams, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of the hydraulic system which prevented the crew from raising or lowering the undercarriage and flaps.

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

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1942 at 0125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7696
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Liblar
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2259LT on June 5 on an operation to Essen. Approaching Bonn, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Liblar. Three crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Patrick George Rochford, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Eric Shannon, observer,
F/O Edward Basil Hamilton Openshaw, navigator, †
W/O Edward Arthur Stubley,
Sgt Llewelyn Clifford Matthias, wireless operator, †
Sgt Austin Grant Hunter, air gunner,
F/O Richard Norwood Speer, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Hellevoetsluis: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0226 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1143
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Hellevoetsluis
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming in the evening of June 1st on an operation to Essen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Haringvliet off Hellevoetsluis. Six crew members were killed and a seventh occupant became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Henry Garfield Clothier, pilot, †
Sgt Warwick Robert Forbes,
F/O John Raymond Francis Ganderton, †
F/Sgt John Stanley Clapham, †
Sgt James Simpson, †
Sgt Albert Ovide Mireau, †
F/Sgt Terence Albert George Morris. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1098
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Oeding
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2354LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Passing the Netherlands/German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Oeding. Six crew members were killed and a seventh became PoW.
Crew:
P/O David Dudley Plaister Joyce, pilot, †
Sgt James Gordon Bertie Garson, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Kenneth Richard Kettlewell,
Sgt Edward William Perry, wireless operator, †
Sgt William James Laker, air gunner, †
Sgt Alastair Macdonald Anderson, air gunner, †
Sgt William John Edgeley, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Cadzand: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0046 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
L9623
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Cadzand
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2356LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Cadzand. A crew was killed.
Crew:
P/O Edward Ronald Senior, pilot,
Sgt Hessel, flight engineer,
Sgt Griffiths, navigator,
Sgt Hampton, bomb aimer,
Sgt Hedger, wireless operator,
P/O Collar, air gunner,
Sgt John Whitfield, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Maarheeze: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0226 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1042
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Maarheeze
North Brabant
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2331LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. While overflying the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by a German fighter. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing in an open field when the aircraft stalled and crashed. Three crew members were killed and four others were injured and became PoW.
Sgt Antony Reginald Moore, pilot, †
Sgt Donald Leslie Thurlow, flight engineer,
W/O Lionel Raymond Silver, navigator,
Sgt John Archibald Ogden, bomb aimer,
Sgt Harry Ralph Stacey, wireless operator,
Sgt Marshall Frederick English, air gunner, †
Sgt Fred Walker, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: May 24, 1942 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7666
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Leeming AFB
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Leeming. While on a three engine approach configuration, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O H. G. Clothier,
F/Sgt J. S. Clapham,
F/Sgt T. A. Morris,
Sgt W. R. Forbes,
Sgt J. Simpson,
Lac D. Sillers.
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