Limburg | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Edgehill at 1953LT on September 16 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Spalbeek, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Stanley W. Dodge, pilot,
Sgt Herbert C. Roake, pilot,
P/O Claud C. Hendley-Cross, observer,
Sgt Kenneth D. Downing, wireless operator,
Sgt Armand E. Confait, air gunner,
Sgt Kenneth J. Smith, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Eisden: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942 at 0112 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1404

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Breighton - Breighton

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2208LT on August 12 on an operation to Mainz. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eisden, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O William Alexander Clegg,
Sgt Allen Holland,
Sgt Reginald James Mayne,
Sgt Lewis Kershaw McMichael,
Sgt Ronald David Smith.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Gruitrode: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1942 at 0240 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W7750

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

East Moor - East Moor

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF East Moor at 0029LT on an operation to Duisburg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Gruitrode. Two crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Jeffrey Peter Meurisse Haydon, pilot,
Sgt Cedric Charles Fox, flight engineer,
F/O Ivan Henry Davies, navigator,
Sgt Harold Huddless, wireless operator, †
Sgt Basil Wallace Shearer, wireless operator,
Sgt Alfred Abraham Beber, air gunner,
Sgt Wilfred John Gray, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Neeroeteren: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942 at 0303 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

BJ876

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Honington - Honington

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Honington at 0116LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Neeroeteren. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW:
Crew:
P/O Wilfred Victor Clarke, observer, †
Sgt William Thomas George Hall, pilot, †
F/Sgt Alistair Bruce Martin, wireless operator, †
Sgt Robert George Miller, air gunner, †
Sgt Harry Levy.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942 at 0253 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W7718

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Pocklington - Pocklington

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 0034LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Heppeneert. The crew bailed out but one was killed after his parachute failed to open. A second was seriously injured and died two days later. Four crew members became PoW and another evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Edward West, pilot,
P/O William Robb Bandeen, observer,
P/O Laurent Joseph Onesime Nadeau, wireless operator, †
Sgt Ivor Watters, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph Hilliard Gregg Howard, air gunner,
Sgt W. D. Gibbon,
Sgt R. E. Pearce.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Dilsen-Stokkem: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942 at 0145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

DV736

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Upper Heyford - Upper Heyford

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Upper Heyford at 2339LT on July 31 on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Dilsen-Stokkem, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Rodney David Gibson, pilot,
F/Sgt Thomas James Armstrong, observer,
Sgt Norman Alfred Long, observer,
Sgt Francis Perrie George Moore, wireless operator,
Sgt George Redhead, air gunner,
F/Sgt Edgar Henry Vickers.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Gruitrode: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 9, 1942 at 0150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W7701

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2310LT on June 8 on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Gruitrode. Five crew members were killed, one became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
F/Lt Roy Blackwell Chadwick, observer, †
Sgt William John Hopkins, air gunner, †
Sgt John McKinstry, air gunner, †
F/Sgt William Edgar Pilborough, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Ralph Storey, flight engineer, †
Sgt J. T. Pack,
Sgt J. A. Catley.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Molenbeersel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1942 at 0135 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

Z8533

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Binbrook - Binbrook

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 2344LT on June 2 on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Molenbeersel. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Harold Edgar Dimmock, pilot, †
Sgt Reginald Cecil Cushway, observer, †
Sgt Derek Victor Smith, bomb aimer,
P/O Dennis William O'Driscoll King, wireless operator,
Sgt Robinson Ferguson, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Bree: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0214 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7301

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2301LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Following an uneventful mission, the airplane returned to base when, while flying over Belgium at night, it was shot down by the German Flak. The captain ordered his crew to bail out. Sole on board, he attempted an emergency landing in Bree, some 21 km northwest of Gent. Unfortunately, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a drainage ditch and was destroyed. The captain was killed and all six others occupants evaded.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O Leslie Thomas Manser, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie Harold Baveystock, pilot,
P/O Richard John Barnes, radio navigator,
P/O Robert Milham Horsley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Stanley Edward King, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Allan McFadyen Mills, air gunner,
Sgt Benjamin William Naylor, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Wijchmaal: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0157 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

Z1614

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Marham - Marham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2359LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Wijchmaal, west of Peer. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Emrys Edwards,
F/Sgt William Francis Crampton,
Sgt Malcolm Boyle,
Sgt William Arnott McLeod,
Sgt Hubert Sproston.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Subscribe to Limburg