Country
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Seine-Maritime

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-15-CO Liberator near Sierville: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943 at 1405 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-23988
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Shipdham - Shipdham
MSN:
783
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Shipdham on an operation to the railway marshalling yards in Sotteville. Approaching Rouen, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed east of Sierville. Ten crew members were killed and the navigator parachuted to safety and became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Robert W. Blaine, pilot, †
2nd Lt Lawrence J. Roetto, copilot, †
T/Sgt George L. Nored, flight engineer, †
1st Lt Leo O. Frazier, navigator,
T/Sgt Oscar Kreissig, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Thomas C. Mayen, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Norman A. Breniser, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Frank N. Doria,air gunner, †
S/Sgt Edward Sufka, air gunner, †
Sgt Benjamin F. White, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Don J. Williams, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-5-CO Liberator in Villers-Écalles: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943 at 1402 LT
Operator:
Registration:
41-23784
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Shipdham - Shipdham
MSN:
579
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Shipdham on an operation to the railway marshalling yards of Soteville-lès-Rouen. It was shot down by a German fighter and all 10 crew members abandoned the airplane. Three of them parachuted to safety and became PoW while seven others were killed by enemy fire while descending to the ground.
Crew:
Cpt Clyde E. Price, pilot, †
2nd Lt Robert E. Forrest, copilot, †
T/Sgt Dalton R. Snell, flight engineer, †
S/Sgt Roy E. Gosline, assistant flight engineer, †
1st Lt Jacob A. Augenstene Jr., navigator, †
1st Lt Donald E. Jester, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Morton P. Gross, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Lewis J. Fleshman, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Deane J. Devars, air gunner,
S/Sgt Kenneth Lynn Erhard, air gunner,
S/Sgt Iris C. Wyer, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 in Octeville-sur-Mer: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
U5+BK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gilze-Rijen - Gilze-Rijen
MSN:
4355
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While returning to base following an operation to England, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Octeville-sur-Mer. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Josef Rossmann, pilot,
Uffz Ernst Hoegner, observer,
Fw Erwin Oppermann, radio operator,
Uffz Rudolf Beeger, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Gueutteville: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BK692
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1853LT on March 1st on an operation to Berlin. Over the target area, it was badly shot about by a German fighter. Despite the situation, the crew was able to leave the area but over France, the airplane was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Gueutteville. Three crew members were killed and five became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt R. E. Richman, pilot, †
P/O R. J. Taylor,
Sgt D. R. Clayton,
Sgt R. A. Nunn, †
Sgt R. H. Hale,
Sgt H. J. Gillingham,
Sgt D. A. Crofts, †
Sgt N. Thornley, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter and the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III in Grandcourt: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
AL766
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bradwell Bay - Bradwell Bay
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bradwell Bay at 2317LT on February 12 to drop leaflets over Mantes-la-Ville, some 50 km west northwest of Paris. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Grandcourt. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Robert Renwick Jackson, pilot, †
F/O Peter John Leboldus, observer, †
Sgt Thomas Sommerville McNeil, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Baromesnil: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DF614
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Woolfox Lodge to drop leaflets over Nancy, France. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances near the village of Baromesnil and was destroyed. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ernest Alexander Kelly, pilot,
Sgt Albert Stanley Grove, radio operator,
Sgt George William Brothwell, navigator,
Sgt Donald Cecil Nelson, bomb aimer,
Sgt Stanley Cookson, air gunner.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-25-BO Flying Fortress off Dieppe: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
41-24566
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Molesworth - Molesworth
MSN:
3251
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Molesworth on an operation to Romilly-sur-Seine. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Dieppe. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Orville S. Witt Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Francis M. McMurtry Jr., copilot,
T/Sgt Lyle C. Woods, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Thomas F. Bachom, radio operator,
S/Sgt Warner E. Renner, radio operator,
1st Lt Donald H. Brightbill, navigator,
1st Lt Wilmer Eugene Dyar, bomb aimer,
Sgt Harold A. Kinsey, air gunner,
Sgt Bernerd W. Millett, air gunner,
S/Sgt Laurence W. Thomas, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Le Havre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
AL284
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1313LT on an operation to Le Havre. Approaching the target area, it collided with a second RAF Boston registered Z2164 and also carrying four crew members. Both airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Le Havre. All eight crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
P/O William Robert Norval Davidson, pilot,
F/O James Allan Logan, navigator,
Sgt Gilbert George May Battison, wireless operator,
Sgt James Watt Fenton, air gunner.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Le Havre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 10, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
Z2164
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Great Massingham - Great Massingham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1320LT on an operation to Le Havre. Approaching the target area, it collided with a second RAF Boston registered AL284 and also carrying four crew members. Both airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Le Havre. All eight crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Hugh McManus, pilot,
Sgt John Bell,
Sgt Alan Frank Goff,
Sgt Howard Yorke Torr, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Dieppe: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9184
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 1835LT on an operation to Genoa. While approaching the French coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Dieppe. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Thomas Layton Bowker, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Cecil Hall, flight engineer,
Sgt Arthur Brown,
Sgt George Arthur Francis Pamenter,
P/O Walter Rogers,
F/O Reginald Arthur Studd,
F/O Louis Rousseau Youngman,
Sgt Stanley Victor Price, air gunner.