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Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Kelstrup: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0158 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
R9261
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Kelstrup
Sjælland
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 2100LT on April 20 on an operation to Szczecin. Passing over Denmark, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Kelstrup. Seven crew members were killed while the flight engineer survived and evaded.
Crew:
F/Lt Charles Woodbine Parish, pilot, †
S/L Wilfred Albert Blake, pilot, †
Sgt Donald Victor Smith, flight engineer,
W/O James Stanley Marshall, observer, †
P/O Elmer Robert Vance, navigator, †
W/O Louis John Krulicki, wireless operator, †
Sgt Dennis Charles Farley, air gunner, †
Sgt Jack Lees, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III off Halsskov: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0131 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF463
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Location:
Halsskov
Sjælland
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 2153LT on April 20 on an operation to Rostock. While returning to base the following night and passing over Denmark, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea west of Halsskov. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Sydney Nelson Cross, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Leslie Cruttenden, flight engineer,
Sgt Norman Shield, navigator,
Sgt Lancelot Tagg, navigator,
Sgt Thomas Edwin Hall, wireless operator,
Sgt Edwin Marley Offen, air gunner,
Sgt John Desmond Lindrea, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III off Nyborg: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0131 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED557
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Grimsby - Grimsby
Location:
Nyborg
Syddanmark
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Grimsby at 2157LT on April 20 on an operation to Szczecin. While returning to base the following night and passing over Denmark, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea east of Nyborg. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt William Arthur Jones, pilot,
Sgt Donald Robert Ling, flight engineer,
F/O Guy Bamford Herring, navigator,
Sgt Clifford Walker, bomb aimer,
Sgt Bernard William David Cooper, wireless operator,
Sgt Alfred Malcolm Hodges, air gunner,
Sgt Samuel James Houston, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Sædding: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0051 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT747
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Sædding
Syddanmark
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2120LT on April 20 on an operation to Szczecin. Passing over Denmark, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Sædding. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Wilfred Ambrose Griffiths, pilot,
F/Sgt Thomas Samuel Eric Bennett, pilot,
Sgt James Thomas Smith, flight engineer,
Sgt Wilfrid Charles Marsh, observer,
Sgt James Kenneth Campbell, bomb aimer,
Sgt Arnold Jenkinson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Alexander Cuthbert Weir, air gunner,
Sgt Bertram Charles John White, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB804
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Elvington - Elvington
Location:
Pasewalk
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Elvington at 2127LT on April 20 on an operation to Szczecin. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Pasewalk, 39 km west northwest of Szczecin. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Thomas Sidney Lea, pilot,
Sgt George Henry Cruxton, flight engineer,
F/O Donald James Dupree Chitty, navigator,
F/Sgt Reginald John White, navigator,
F/Lt John Roderick Harries, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Carter, air gunner,
Sgt Reginald Walter Lambert, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Klagshamn

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED312
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Klagshamn
Skåne
Country:
Sweden
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2123LT on April 20 on an operation to Szczecin. After passing over Copenhagen, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Klagshamn, southwest of Malmö. All seven crew members were rescued and interned.
Crew:
P/O C. P. McDonald, pilot,
Sgt T. J. Parrington, flight engineer,
P/O Victor William Joseph Nunn, navigator,
Sgt C. M. Paley, bomb aimer,
Sgt M. A. Coles, wireless operator,
F/O John Percival Crebbin, air gunner,
F/Sgt C. J. Ford, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X into The Channel

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE414
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
East Moor - East Moor
Location:
The Channel
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Moor at 2120LT on April 20 to lay mines off the French coast. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into The Channel. All five crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt Richard Campbell Ellison, pilot,
Sgt W. G. Bailey,
Sgt Horace Edwin John Horton,
Sgt Edward Clowes Nicholson,
Sgt Walter Joseph Mullaney, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III in Teglgård: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0048 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF508
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Location:
Teglgård
Syddanmark
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 2149LT on April 20 on an operation to Rostock. Passing over Denmark, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Teglgård. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Antony Seton Wombwell Prioleau, pilot,
Sgt Harold Munnery, flight engineer,
Sgt Dennis Stowe, navigator,
Sgt William Trevor Leathley, bomb aimer,
Sgt Charles Dale McKelvie, wireless operator,
Sgt Reginald Herbert Dunstan, air gunner,
Sgt Mervyn Leonard, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB912
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Location:
Eggesin
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton Saint George at 2114LT on April 20 on an operation to Szczecin. Cruising at an altitude of 16,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eggesin. An air gunner was killed and seven other crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Thomas Earl Jackson, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Frederick Westerman, pilot,
Sgt Camille Joseph Sebastien, flight engineer,
F/Sgt James Martin Carlton, navigator,
P/O Jack R. Fry, bomb aimer,
Sgt Thomas Mervyn Crandell, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Dennis Arthur Watkins, air gunner, †
Sgt Edwin Jury, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I into the Baltic Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943 at 0033 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF442
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Location:
Baltic Sea
World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 2128LT on April 20 on an operation to Rostock. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the Baltic Sea, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Reginald Frederick Elliott, pilot,
Sgt Basil Leonard Neal, flight engineer,
Sgt Clarence Bertram Barrott, navigator,
F/Sgt Charles McKerns, bomb aimer,
Sgt Alfred Chadwick, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Louis Fauvel, air gunner,
P/O Clifford Leigh Maunder, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
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