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Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Mönchengladbach: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 2118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4846
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Mönchengladbach
North Rhine-Westphalia
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 Wyton at 1935LT on an operation to Cologne. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Mönchengladbach, some 47 km northwest of Cologne. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Samuel Robinson, pilot,
Sgt Bernard Alfred Hayes, flight engineer,
P/O Derrick Norrington, navigator,
W/O Mark David Willis Hambrook, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt John Harold Henderson, wireless operator,
S/L Ernest Robert Simpson, air gunner,
Sgt Wallace Anthony Ringe, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 2117 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR669
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Knapsack
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
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 1853LT on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Michael Gerrard Gibbons, pilot,
Sgt Henry Easton Bradshaw, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Edward Russell, flight engineer,
Sgt Louis John Langham, navigator,
Sgt John Leslie Wilson, bomb aimer,
P/O Leonard James Dowdall, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Stanley Richings, air gunner,
Sgt John William Hunt, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7919
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Heppendorf
North Rhine-Westphalia
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 Pocklington at 1854LT on an operation to Cologne. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Heppendorf, 22 km west of Cologne. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Edwin John Frith, pilot,
Sgt James Peak, flight engineer,
P/O Reginald Silvester Burgher, navigator,
Sgt William Stewart, bomb aimer,
Sgt Trevor John Cox, wireless operator,
Sgt Aubrey Rex James, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Wilby, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Pocklington

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 1828 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT779
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1828LT on a mine laying operation. During the takeoff roll, it swung violently off the runway and was damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
W/O J. L. Lee, pilot,
Sgt B. C. White,
Sgt G. A. Jones,
Sgt J. N. Underwood,
Sgt F. M. Traynor,
Sgt R. A. M. Mather,
Sgt J. K. Campbell, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II at RAF Feltwell

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
AJ224
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
MSN:
4362
YOM:
1942
Location:
Feltwell AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 1400LT to attack an armed merchant ship lying in n°8 basin in Dunkirk. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak which shattered the perspex in the nose compartment and temporarily blinding S/L Dale and F/O Robson. The crew was able to return to base where the airplane crashed upon landing at 1530LT, wheels retracted. Two crew were injured.
Crew:
S/L I. G. E. Dale, pilot,
F/O H. Robson,
P/O G. W. Forman,
P/O J. M. Quinlan.
Probable cause:
Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Middleton-on-the-Wolds: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE161
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Middleton-on-the-Wolds
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Driffield on a local test flight. En route, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed 3 km east of Middleton-on-the-Wolds , exploding on impact. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Neville Smart, pilot,
F/O Thomas Donald Gordon, navigator,
F/O Robert Lowell Benson, bomb aimer,
Sgt George Alexander Aitken Ranken, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Herbert, air gunner,
Lac Walter Robinson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The accident was attributed to the canvas bomb screen detaching and fouling the elevator control surfaces.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 0044 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF410
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Location:
Sandweier
Baden-Württemberg
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 2039LT on February 25 on an operation to Nuremberg. After passing the French/German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Sandweier. Seven crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Wilfred Roy Major, pilot, †
F/Sgt Francis John Miles, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur Vivian Derrick Hines, flight engineer, †
Sgt George Pettinger, navigator, †
Sgt John Henry Dyer, navigator, †
Sgt William Hughes Bevan, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric Howeth Holmes, air gunner, †
Sgt John Carrick, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943 at 0018 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF450
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Rheinau
Baden-Württemberg
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 Downham Market at 1940LT on February 25 on an operation to Nuremberg. Passing the French/German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed on the east bank of the Rhine River, in Rheinau. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Raymond William White, pilot,
Sgt James Christopher Wade, flight engineer,
W/O George Mathews, navigator,
Sgt Lloyd Lincoln Stuart, bomb aimer,
Sgt Harry Victor Werner, wireless operator,
W/O Sgt Kenneth Ian Young, air gunner,
Sgt John William Hearn, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near RAF Woolfox Lodge: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BK268
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Croft - Croft
Location:
Woolfox Lodge AFB
Rutland
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Croft at 1848LT on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base, it crashed near RAF Woolfox Lodge and was destroyed. Six crew members were killed and one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt George Rolling Taylor, pilot, †
F/Sgt Keith Lauchlan Campbell, †
Sgt John Emil Partos, †
Sgt Arthur Marlow, †
Sgt K. C. Smith,
Sgt Richard Hubert Lewis, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Eye witnesses stated that one of the engines was on fire prior to the accident.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Ingham

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
Z1600
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ingham - Ingham
Location:
Ingham AFB (Cammeringham AFB)
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed almost immediately after takeoff, running into the rear of another Wellington that had been forced to abort its take off. One crew member was injured.
Crew:
P/O J. H. Waterfield, pilot,
Sgt A. Matthews,
P/O C. F. Woods,
Sgt E. E. Eaton,
Sgt S. L. Fawcett, air gunner.
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