Royal Air Force - RAF

Operator:

Registration:

DT791

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Schedule:

Melbourne - Melbourne

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The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 2044 on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. It was hit by the German Flak in the port outer engine and after regaining the French coast, further damage was caused, this time to the port inner engine. The Channel was crossed on two engines, followed by a crash landing at 0520LT near Lewes. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and all eight crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt J. A. Wood, pilot,
Sgt Rooney,
Sgt F. Beare,
P/O K. F. Whynes,
P/O G. C. Stepney,
Sgt G. Walshaw,
Sgt P. G. O'Kill,
Sgt S. Prebble, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Badly shot about by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Amiens: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0456 LT

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

ED441

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Schedule:

Fiskerton - Fiskerton

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The airplane departed RAF Fiskerton at 2111LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. The following morning, while returning to base, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Amiens. Six crew members were killed and the air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt David Trevor Penry, pilot, †
Sgt Charles Glendinning Bamford, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Alan Norris Dixon, navigator, †
Sgt Charles Lawrence James, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Thomas Charles Robertson, wireless operator, †
Sgt James Frederick Fletcher, air gunner, †
Sgt H. W. G. Kerr, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Pontavert: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R5484

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Schedule:

Wyton - Wyton

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The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2117LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Pontavert. The pilot was killed and six other crew members became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Glen Alexander McNichol, pilot, †
W/O George Christopher Mott, flight engineer,
F/O Henry Harold Beaupre, navigator,
F/O Thomas William Lewis, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt George Stanley MacFarlane, wireless operator,
Sgt Henry Richard Willis, air gunner,
F/Sgt Charles Erskine Hobbs, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Lesquielles-Saint-Germain: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0437 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BB343

Flight Phase:

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Site:

Lesquielles-Saint-Germain

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

Location:

Aisne

Country:

France

Region:

Europe

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The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2057LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Lesquielles-Saint-Germain, 26 km northeast of Saint-Quentin. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Joseph Jacques Alfred Guay, pilot,
Sgt Harold Walter Fill, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Lloyd George Haines, navigator,
F/Sgt Francois Rolland Pilon, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Harry Winter, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Irving MacDonald, air gunner,
Sgt Anthony Patrick Gielty, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Eppeville: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0436 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HR784

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Schedule:

Snaith - Snaith

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The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2042LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eppeville. Six crew members were killed and the navigator survived and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ronald Henry Stewart, pilot, †
P/O William Robert McBriar, flight engineer, †
W/O William Reid Keirnan, navigator,
F/Sgt Dennis Axtell, wireless operator, †
F/O Thomas Collis Robinson, wireless operator, †
Sgt Donald Harold Reid, air gunner, †
P/O Frank Malcolm Thompson, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Yves-Gomezée: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0423 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

ED800

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Schedule:

Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe

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The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 2142LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following morning, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Yves-Gomezée, 19 km south of Charleroi. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Gilchrist Duncan, pilot,
Sgt James Speirs, flight engineer,
Sgt John Alec Bates,
Sgt Albert Warren Berry,
Sgt Cyril Payne,
Sgt David Mackenzie Smellie,
Sgt Herbert Rhys Barnes, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Nassogne: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0408 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

DT752

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

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The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2100LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a wooded area located in Nassogne. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Joseph Raymond Louis Sergent, pilot,
Sgt Harry George Machell, flight engineer,
Sgt Frank Robert Cocks, navigator,
Sgt Geoffrey Maxted Hill, navigator,
Sgt Donald Frederick Gargrave, wireless operator,
F/Sgt William Kwasney, air gunner,
F/Sgt Cecil Davis Heming, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Eppe-Sauvage: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0406 LT

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

HR663

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Pocklington - Pocklington

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The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2049LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night and flying over France at an altitude of 9,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eppe-Sauvage. An air gunner was killed, four crew members evaded and two others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Wallace Ivor Lashbrook, pilot,
F/Sgt Douglas Charles Knight, flight engineer,
F/O Kenneth James Bolton, navigator,
F/O Alfred Martin, bomb aimer,
Sgt Robert William Laws, wireless operator,
Sgt Lawrence Irving Neill, air gunner,
F/O Graham George Williams, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Quévy: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0402 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W4317

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