East Sussex

En route, while cruising at low altitude, the four engine aircraft christened 'Ruth Less' hit a hill and crashed near Eastbourne, East Sussex. All ten crew members were killed.

The airplane departed Soesterberg AFB on a mine laying operation off the British coast. While cruising at low height, it flew into a hillside at 350 feet and crashed into an empty bungalow at Furze Hill. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Kurt Tomczyk,
Gefr Ernst Kern,
Gefr Rolf Fischer,
Fw Hartmut Eucker.

The airplane departed RAF Tempsford at 2013LT on October 22 on a Special Operation Executive (SOE) called Spruce 2, which involved a flight over the French territory. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and was ditched in The Channel off Eastbourne. All five crew members were rescued. The airplane sank and was lost.
Crew:
P/O G. F. B. Newport-Tinley, pilot +4.

The airplane departed RAF Thruxton at 0430LT on an operation to Dieppe. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by friendly fire prior to laying smoke-screen. The crew was able to return to England but the airplane crashed whilst landing at RAF Friston. The pilot was seriously injured and both other crewmen were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt John Edgar Scott, pilot,
Sgt William Johnson, observer,
F/Sgt George Richard Gifkins, wireless operator and air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 0001LT on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night, it crashed at 0256LT on heath land in the Ashdown Forest near Nutley. The bomber struck the ground in a slight nose down attitude and with the left engine feathered. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Ronald Sutton, pilot,
F/Sgt Henry Alexander Vincent Vidler, pilot,
Sgt Wilfred Stanley Brooks, observer,
F/Sgt Arthur Ernest Cave, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Stanley Hathaway, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Leonard Saunders, air gunner.

The bomber crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some six miles south of Newhaven. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Hptm Wolfgang Langner, pilot,
Uffz Erwin Ortmann, observer,
Ofw Heinz Krause, radio operator,
Uffz Karl Beirsack, mechanic.

The crew departed RAF Middle Wallop on a navigation training exercise. While flying at low height, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field in Crowborough. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Harry Wilson, pilot,
F/Sgt James Terrence Blackwell, wireless operator.

The airplane was engaged in an mission to Liverpool when it was shot down by the pilot of a Beaufighter and crashed in Beachy Head. All four crew members were killed.
crew:
Fw Siegfried Helbig, pilot,
Fw Johann Hafner, radio operator,
Gefr Lothar Rüdiger, observer,
Uffz Karl Hilke, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2015LT on December 21 to bomb an industrial area located in Porto Marghera, near Venice, Italy. While returning to base the following night, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Lullington Court, some 12 km northwest of Eastbourne. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (9th Squadron):
Sgt Robert Norman Harrison, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Gapp, pilot,
Sgt Leslie William Nichols, navigator and observer,
Sgt Maurice Holker, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Riley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Docker, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 2108LT on December 16 on an operation to Mannheim. The following night, while returning to base, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Fairlight. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Skipworth, pilot,
Sgt Walter Edward Need, observer,
Sgt Donald Stephenson, wireless operator and air gunner.