Seine-Maritime

While overflying The Channel, the crew encountered technical problems with the engines. While approaching the French coast, the pilot in command attempted an emergency landing in a field located in Le Tréport. The airplane crash landed in an open field, slid for several yards and came to rest. All three occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Due to a strike by Air France, all flights from Paris to London were cancelled and the Ice Hockey National Team of Czechoslovakia was grounded in Paris. As the team should fly to London to take part to a tournament, it was decided that few players rent a plane by Mercure Taxis Aériens. The founder and Chief Pilot of this company disagreed to do the flight due to poor weather conditions above The Channel but was finally convinced to fly to London. The twin engine aircraft left Paris-Le Bourget at 1638 bound for Croydon. About an hour later, while flying over The Channel, the crew encountered poor weather conditions (mist) and maybe, the pilot elected to return to Paris or to divert to Cherbourg when the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea off Dieppe. As the aircraft failed to arrive in Croydon, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the eight occupants was found. A year later, human remains were found on a beach and analysis suggest that they belonged to the pilot.
Crew:
René de Narbonne, pilot 1.
Passengers:
Ladislav Trojak,
Karel Stibor,
Zdenek Svarc,
Vilibald Sorrel,
Miloslav Pokorny,
Zdeněk Jarkovský.

While cruising north of Rouen, the crew encountered poor weather and severe icing conditions. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located north of Rouen, some 24 km southeast of Saint-Valéry-en-Caux. All four crew members were killed.

The crew was engaged in a bombing mission and while approaching Le Havre, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (320th Squadron):
1st Lt Folkert Bouma,
Sgt Hugo Jan Hadjiwodo Seelig,
Cpl Rudolf Langendam,
Cpl Wilhelmus Antonius Henricus Melissen.

While on a bombing mission, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Frichemesnil, north of Rouen. A crewmen was taken POW while all three other occupants were killed.

The airplane departed RAF Kirmington at 2321LT on April 10 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following morning, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near the petrol dock of Le Havre. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Philip Raymond Hall, pilot,
Sgt Tudor Lewis Edwards, flight engineer,
Sgt Harry Elliott, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Reginald Lionel Casterllari, wireless operator,
Sgt Eric James Peacock, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Chelveston on an operation against the Renault factory located in Boulogne-Billancourt. Approaching Rouen at an altitude of 20,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Fontaine-sous-Préaux, 7 km northeast of Rouen. Two crew members were killed, one evaded and seven became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Harold Patrick O'Neill, pilot,
2nd Lt Peter W. Branch, copilot,
T/Sgt Charles Hulbert Provine, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Warren B. Collins, navigator,
T/Sgt Clifford Don Fisher, radio operator,
S/Sgt Raymond Emmett Wells, bombardier,
S/Sgt James H. Ahern, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Georges H. Hargadon, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Roy Louis JAmeson, air gunner,
S/Sgt Charles Frederick John Kindle, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Molesworth on an operation against the Renault factory located in Boulogne-Billancourt. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Le Bocasse, 18 km north of Rouen. Six crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Ercil F. Eyster, pilot, †
2nd Lt Fred H. Hayward, copilot, †
T/Sgt Harold J. Dunham, flight engineer, †
2nd Lt John D. Shanks, navigator, †
Sgt Edmund Robinson Thornton, radio operator,
S/Sgt Marcus K. Davis, bombardier,
Sgt George Tom Morton, air gunner,
S/Sgt Robert Carl Altizer, air gunner,
S/Sgt Floyd Earl Bauer, air gunner, †
Sgt Eugene A. Nicosia, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Bassingbourn on an operation to the railway marshalling yards of Sotteville in Rouen. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed about one km off Veulettes-sur-Mer. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt John A. Coen, pilot,
2nd Lt Caryll D. Nobbs, copilot,
2nd Lt Harold A. Davidson, navigator,
S/Sgt Domenic A. Caruso, radio operator,
S/Sgt James M. Bechtel, air gunner,
2nd Lt John W. Butler, bombardier,
S/Sgt Francis E. Byrne, air gunner,
S/Sgt Paul E. Kyes, air gunner,
S/Sgt Louis T. McLane, air gunner,
T/Sgt John C. Strozzi, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 1950LT on an operation to Stuttgart. It crashed in unknown circumstances near the Aerodrome of Dieppe-Saint-Aubin and was destroyed. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Gerald Andrew Parkinson, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Baron Percy Henry Heath, flight engineer,
Sgt Philip Percy Jobling, navigator,
P/O Joseph Millward, navigator,
Sgt Dennis Collins, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Colin James Campbell, air gunner,
Sgt James Hamilton Ross, air gunner.