Antwerp | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Leconfield at 1832LT on an operation to Cologne. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Meerhout. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt William John Kirk, pilot, †
F/O John Edward Mason, †
F/Sgt William Edward Smith, †
Sgt R. E. Bentley,
Sgt N. A. Leonard,
Sgt T. W. Reynolds, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5537

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

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Schedule:

Woodhall Spa - Woodhall Spa

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The airplane departed RAF Woodhall Spa at 2310LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Malle, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Gilbert Campbell Hooey, pilot,
Sgt Victor John Arthur Butler, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Leonard Grundy, observer,
F/Sgt Arthur Henry Withers, observer,
Sgt Ronald Claude Martin, air gunner,
Sgt Percy Vinton Parry, air gunner,
P/O Edward James Smitherman, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Morkhoven: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0146 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5610

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Wyton - Wyton

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The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2051LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Morkhoven. Four crew members were killed, two others became PoW and a seventh evaded.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert Murray Buchan, observer, †
Sgt Peter Squires, flight engineer, †
Sgt Edward Vincent Norman, air gunner, †
Sgt Harold Denzil Quintrell, air gunner, †
F/Sgt William Raymond Cubberley,
F/Sgt John Wilfred Docker,
F/Sgt O. R. Matheson.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 in Kasterlee

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1942 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.217

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MSN:

5319

YOM:

1941

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The airplane was engaged in an operation to Dieppe (Against Operation Jubilee). It was shot down by a British fighter and later crash landed in Kasterlee. All four crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
Uffz Anton Ries +3.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a British fighter.

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

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1942 at 0305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1061

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Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George

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The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2137LT on August 11 on an operation to Mainz. While returning to base, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Wommelgem, west of Antwerp. Two crew were killed, four became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
W/O William Everett Lunan, pilot, †
Sgt Francis Alfred Scotland, flight engineer, †
Sgt John Randall Dickinson,
Sgt John Kingsley Howes,
F/Sgt Leslie Charles Jupp,
Sgt John Hugh Wyatt,
F/Sgt A. E. Fay.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Zevendonk: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942 at 0334 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AE244

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Balderton - Balderton

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The airplane departed RAF Balderton 2339LT on July 31 on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Zevendonk, south of Turnhout. Three crew members were killed and the pilot became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Orval Milford Nelson, pilot,
Fl/Sgt Clarence Franklin Lloyd, wireless operator, †
Sgt Harold Price, wireless operator, †
Sgt Herbert Cheval Archer Warr. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Heivoort: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1942 at 0317 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1316

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Grimsby - Grimsby

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The airplane departed RAF Grimsby at 2352LT on July 29 on an operation to Saarbrücken. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Heivoort, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O George Camps Hooper, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth McLennan, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Ernest Edward Bedford, observer,
Sgt Richard Henry Foster, observer,
Sgt Richard Frances Stainforth, wireless operator,
Sgt Harold Alfred Oates, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Aartselaar: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942 at 0236 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2254

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

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The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 2350LT on June 25 on an intruder operation to Venlo Airfield. Ovedr Belgium, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Aartselaar. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Peter Huxly Looker, pilot,
F/Sgt William George O'Neil, observer,
Sgt Gordon William Cox, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Gooreind: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1942 at 0139 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

X3359

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Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2355LT on June 16 on an operation to Essen. About 30 minutes out from the target, the crew encountered technical difficulties with the right propeller that developed excessive vibration. Later, the airplane was hit by light Flak and the crew eventually decided to abandon the airplane that crashed in Gooreind. The pilot was killed, two others became PoiW and two others evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Emile Leblanc, pilot, †
P/O John Henry Watson, navigator,
Sgt Eric Alfred Winkler, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman William Bradley, air gunner,
Sgt Joseph Arthur Angus Bruneau Angers, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine problems.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Sint-Lenaarts

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942 at 0225 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

R9444

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Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

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The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2331LT on June 2 on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Sint-Lenaarts. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Paul Alexander Hilton,
Sgt Ronald Charles Vosper Prout,
Sgt Walter Sharp,
Sgt Charles Burdon,
Sgt Sewell Thickett,
Sgt Peter Edgar Davis.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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