Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED326
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby in the evening of April 20 on an operation to Szczecin. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed into the North Sea, maybe the Baltic Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt Norbert Clement Keeffe, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Bone,
Sgt George Brady,
Sgt Roy Ernest Dadd,
Sgt Kenneth Cook Eagland,
Sgt James Goulding,
Sgt Francis McPhillips, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Saint-Mars-d'Outillé: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED714
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby on an operation to La Spezia. While flying southeast of Le Mans, it collided in midair with a second RAF Lancaster registered W4828 and also carrying a crew of seven. Following the collision, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed in Saint-Mars-d'Outillé. All 14 crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Wilfred Ernest Fuller Clark, pilot,
Sgt Frank Gordon Sayers, flight engineer,
F/O Edward Frank Dynarski, navigator,
Sgt James Lawrence Anthony Mulligan, bomb aimer,
Sgt Charles Norris Clay, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Edward Henry Bakeman, air gunner,
F/Sgt Ernest Arthur Applegate, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Charlois: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943 at 0515 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4858
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 2135LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. It was hit by the German Flak near the target area, which damaged the fuel tanks. Two hours later, both starboard engines began to fail due to lack of petrol and with approximately 20 gallons remaining, the order to bail out was given. The airplane crashed in Charlois, south of Rotterdam. Five crew members parachuted to safety, four became PoW and one evaded. Two others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt F. W. Pinkerton, pilot,
Sgt Ronald George Irons, flight engineer,
Sgt Ian Campbell Clunas, navigator,
Sgt William Alexander Lees, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frank Morton, wireless operator, †
Sgt Norman Henry Stanley Williams, air gunner,
Sgt George Charles William Warren, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II near RAF Wickenby

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8501
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF Wickenby, while climbing to a height of 200 feet at a speed of 120 mph, the starboard engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and made a gear up landing in a pasture. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/O E. F. May, pilot +4.
Probable cause:
Failure of the right engine after takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Wickenby

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 1255 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R5838
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Winthorpe - Winthorpe
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Winthorpe to demonstrate feathering procedures, during which the port engine was shut down. While cruising at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the pilot attempted to restart the engine but the port propeller failed to unfeather. The crew was forced to divert to RAF Wickenby where the airplane overshot and crashed into a ditch, causing the starboard undercarriage to collapse. All five crew members escaped unhurt and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
W/O E. Knight, pilot +4.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Wickenby

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 1255 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5838
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Winthorpe - Winthorpe
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Winthorpe to demonstrate feathering procedures, during which the port engine was shut down. The pilot attempted to restart the engine at 5,000 feet, but was forced to crash-land at RAF Wickenby after the port propeller failed to unfeather. After landing, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overshot the runway and came to rest in a ditch, causing the starboard undercarriage to collapse. The crew escaped unhurt and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
W/O E. Knight, pilot +4.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Stade: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1943 at 2129 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4855
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 1858LT on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed west of Stade, some 34 km west of Hamburg. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Rupert William Simmonds, pilot,
Sgt Laurence Burnett, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Ian Victor Heatley, navigator,
F/Sgt Donald Kerr, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Henry Herbert Brien, wireless operator,
Sgt Roy Victor Malcolm Davenport, air gunner,
F/Sgt Archibald John Marfell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4792
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 1902LT on an operation to Cologne. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt William Booker Kenny, pilot,
Sgt Jack Bunce,
F/Sgt John Dunham Correll,
Sgt Donald Armitage Travis,
Sgt Cyril Petherbridge,
Sgt Thomas Ithel James,
Sgt Ronald Noel Vaisey, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near RAF Wickenby: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1943 at 2245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4836
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 1741LT on an operation to Lorient. While returning to base in the late evening, it crashed on approach to base, at Newhall Wood, some 5 km from the airfield. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Martin, pilot,
Sgt Dennis Francis Gibbs,
Sgt James Callanan,
Sgt John Bowman Reay,
Sgt Leonard Jones,
Sgt Robert Victor Coombs,
Sgt Edward Hemmings, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Bedburdyck: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 23, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED386
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 1725LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Bedburdyck, 19 km southwest of Düsseldorf. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Thomas Frank Dimmock, pilot,
Sgt Roy Percival, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Gordon Ernest Campbell, navigator,
Sgt Henry Dennis Dawes, bomb aimer,
F/O Malcolm Wilfred Baxter, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Sanderson Blagden, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Dale Perrett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.