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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2227 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB836
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Den Helder
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 Pocklington at 1923LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 20 km southwest of Den Helder. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Anthony Drew Ashby Barnes, pilot,
Sgt James Stephen Lowdell, flight engineer,
Sgt Arthur Leonard Thurlow, navigator,
Sgt Gerald Cecil Felsenstein, bomb aimer,
F/O Edwin Harold Beeton, wireless operator,
Sgt Victor Norman Elkins, air gunner,
Sgt William Patrick Quinlivan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Alstätte: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT739
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Alstätte
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1926LT on an operation to Essen. After passing the Dutch/German border at an altitude of 17,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Alstätte. Two crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Edward William Leon Charlebois, pilot, †
Sgt Herbert Rex Kemp, flight engineer,
Sgt Dennis Allan Pellatt Horne, navigator,
Sgt Andrew Dewar Williams, bomb aimer,
Sgt Walter Stanley Hedges, wireless operator,
Sgt H. F. Powers, air gunner,
Sgt Ernest Arthur Hughes, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT799
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Essen
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 Pocklington at 1925LT on an operation to Essen. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. Six crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Harold Cedric Alan Newland, pilot, †
Sgt C. S. Jones, flight engineer,
Sgt John Davidson Haigh, navigator, †
Sgt Robert William Floyd, observer, †
Sgt Dennis James Druett, wireless operator, †
Sgt Martin Harvey Christie Crow, air gunner, †
Sgt Albert Edward Beaven, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1943 at 2245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB840
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Brizeaux
Meuse
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
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 Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Knapsack: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 2117 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR669
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Knapsack
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1853LT on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Michael Gerrard Gibbons, pilot,
Sgt Henry Easton Bradshaw, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Edward Russell, flight engineer,
Sgt Louis John Langham, navigator,
Sgt John Leslie Wilson, bomb aimer,
P/O Leonard James Dowdall, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Stanley Richings, air gunner,
Sgt John William Hunt, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7919
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Heppendorf
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 Pocklington at 1854LT on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Heppendorf, 22 km west of Cologne. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Edwin John Frith, pilot,
Sgt James Peak, flight engineer,
P/O Reginald Silvester Burgher, navigator,
Sgt William Stewart, bomb aimer,
Sgt Trevor John Cox, wireless operator,
Sgt Aubrey Rex James, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Wilby, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 1828 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT779
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East 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 Pocklington at 1828LT on a mine laying operation. During the takeoff roll, it swung violently off the runway and was damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
W/O J. L. Lee, pilot,
Sgt B. C. White,
Sgt G. A. Jones,
Sgt J. N. Underwood,
Sgt F. M. Traynor,
Sgt R. A. M. Mather,
Sgt J. K. Campbell, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 25, 1943 at 2024 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT800
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Ardleigh
Essex
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1920LT on an operation to Nuremberg. About an hour later, the crew encountered severe weather and lost control of the airplane that crashed at Badliss Hall Farm near Ardleigh. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Henry Bray, pilot,
Sgt T. B. Barfoot,
Sgt L. V. W. Herbert,
Sgt C. J. D. Smith,
Sgt J. Dudley,
Sgt Irving Louis Sanitsky,
Sgt E. L. Widgery, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Weather.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X near RAF Pocklington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1943 at 0010 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE153
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leconfield - Leconfield
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leconfield at 1825LT on February 14 on an operation to Cologne. Shortly after midnight, while returning to base, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines. While cruising in the vicinity of RAF Pocklington, the engines stopped, the airplane lots height then collided with trees and crashed. The air gunner was killed and four other occupants were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Richard Martin, pilot,
P/O Harold James Stephen Harmer, navigator,
Sgt John Forbes Loudon, bomb aimer,
Sgt Basil Dunstan Hall,
Sgt Joseph Jeffrie Robson, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure apparently due to a fuel exhaustion.

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

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7880
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Veulen
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 Pocklington at 1825LT on an operation to Cologne. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed 3 km south of Veulen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt James Leslie Hartshorn, pilot,
Sgt Joseph William Kilyon, flight engineer,
Sgt Harold Alma Cheasman, navigator,
Sgt Frederick William Cox, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Alfred Norman Conner, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert Owen Gilbert, air gunner,
W/O George Farah, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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