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

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4854
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
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 Warboys at 2126LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. The following night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Brimont. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Harald Roy Andersen, pilot,
Sgt Patrick Langston Brougham-Faddy, flight engineer,
P/O Kenneth Winchcombe Bordycott, navigator,
Sgt Bernard Hamilton Gooding, navigator,
P/O Frederick Smith, wireless operator,
Sgt John Thomas Stephens, air gunner,
F/Sgt William Oldfield Woolnough, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4930
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
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 Warboys at 2125LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Aigny, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Hugh Bernard Gonce, pilot,
Sgt Murdo Mckenzie Muirhead, flight engineer,
Sgt John Gordon Kennedy Dean, navigator,
P/O Michael Cyriates Anastassiades, bomb aimer,
Sgt Harry Dawson Rowe, wireless operator,
Sgt James Boyd, air gunner,
F/Sgt Louie Elmo Corley, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Épense: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1943 at 2353 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED691
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2131LT on an operation to Plzeň. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Épense. The pilot was killed, one crew evaded and six others became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Herbert Harry Day, pilot, †
F/O D. A. Footman, pilot,
Sgt Roy Chandler Salmon, flight engineer,
Sgt Henry Edward Holland, navigator,
Sgt Geoffrey Arthur Eric Hodgkinson, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Alexander Rossbotham, wireless operator,
Sgt Merlin Ivor Evans, air gunner,
Sgt S. R. A. Symes, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Reims: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 0320 LT
Operator:
Registration:
JB909
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2151LT on April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the district of La Neuvillette, Reims. The pilot was killed, the flight engineer evaded and six others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ian Cumming MacKenzie, pilot, †
Sgt W. L. Canter, flight engineer,
P/O Lloyd William McKenzie, navigator,
F/O Alfred Playfair, bomb aimer,
Sgt Thomas James Coupland, wireless operator,
P/O Conel O'Connell, air gunner,
P/O William Alexander McIlroy, air gunner,
F/Sgt J. S. Murray, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Saint-Hilaire-le-Petit: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 0304 LT
Operator:
Registration:
DT746
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 2127LT on April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Saint-Hilaire-le-Petit. Six crew members were killed and the flight engineer became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt James Eric George Hancock, pilot, †
Sgt Jack Lionel Lee, flight engineer,
Sgt Hugh George Owen, navigator, †
Sgt David Bertram Everitt, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Donald Ernest Funnell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Fred William Griggs, air gunner, †
Sgt John David Culleton, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Sept-Saulx: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 0211 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EF331
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chedburgh - Chedburgh
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 2126LT on April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Sept-Saulx, 20 km southeast of Reims. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Leslie Powell, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Shepherd, flight engineer,
F/O Edward Henry Scott, navigator,
Sgt Robert Ernest Dutton, bomb aimer,
Sgt Harold Charles Dent, wireless operator,
Sgt John William Williams, air gunner,
F/Sgt Eric Harold Ingram, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Saint-Souplet-sur-Py

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 0159 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9278
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 2108LT on April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. The following night, while returning to base and flying at an altitude of 13,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Saint-Souplet-sur-Py. All seven crew members parachuted to safety, five became PoW and two evaded.
Crew:
P/O James Thomas Reekie Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Alexander Herbert Smith, flight engineer,
S/L Ronald Henry Lunney, navigator,
W/O David Ness, bomb aimer,
Sgt Thomas Morley, wireless operator,
Sgt Fredric George Arthur Weight, air gunner,
F/Sgt D. K. Nolan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Soudé: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1943 at 0148 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BF462
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 2148LT on April 14 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Soudé, 24 km south of Châlons-en-Champagne. Six crew members were killed and the pilot became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ross John Beldin, pilot,
Sgt Harry Noar, flight engineer, †
Sgt Robert John Palmer, navigator, †
Sgt Edwin Arthur Shaw, navigator, †
W/O Richard Barnett Blake, wireless operator, †
Sgt Stanley Francis Gould, air gunner, †
Sgt Samuel Hammond, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Sogny-en-l'Angle: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 0047 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED313
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2031LT on March 11 on an operation to Stuttgart. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Sogny-en-l'Angle. Two crew members were killed, two evaded and three became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Norman Alexander John Mackie, pilot,
Sgt Ralph Henderson, flight engineer,
F/Lt Allan MacPherson Ogilvie, navigator,
F/Sgt William Eric Barrett, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Lewis Edward James Humber, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Alexander Lynch, air gunner, †
Sgt Kenneth William Chipchase, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Fagnières: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 0018 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BF469
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chedburgh - Chedburgh
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 2002LT on an operation to Stuttgart. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Fagnières, west suburb of Châlons-en-Champagne. Six crew members were killed and the air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Alexander Carruthers, pilot, †
Sgt Edgar Louis Eaglen, flight engineer, †
Sgt Eric Parker, navigator, †
Sgt Percy Pugh Oakes, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt Basil Carnell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Brian Roland Jennings, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Arthur James Tyrell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.