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

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT704
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Klausdorf
Schleswig-Holstein
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 Leeming at 2045LT on an operation to Kiel. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Klausdorf, 6 km southeast of Kiel. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Joseph Foley, pilot,
Sgt Robert Arthur Damms, flight engineer,
Sgt Harry Bertram John Sargent, navigator,
F/O Ralph James Wright, navigator,
W/O William Francis Jordan, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Robert Edward Goldney, air gunner,
F/Sgt James Alexander Campbell Taylor, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Sarlhusen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 2335 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4850
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
Location:
Sarlhusen
Schleswig-Holstein
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 Warboys at 2042LT on an operation to Kiel. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Sarlhusen, 39 km southwest of Kiel. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Cecil Harold Davies, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth William Taylor, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Jack Arthur Holderness, navigator,
F/Sgt Edward Thomas McHugh, navigator,
F/Sgt Alfred Rixon, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert Ronald Baker, air gunner,
Sgt Philip Jack William Grimwood, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Dobersdorf: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 2330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
W7621
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Chedburgh - Chedburgh
Location:
Dobersdorf
Schleswig-Holstein
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 Chedburgh at 2021LT on an operation to Kiel. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Dobersdorfer Lake off Dobersdorf. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Reginald Burton, pilot,
Sgt George Henry Joseph Cash,
Sgt Albert John Gordon,
Sgt Edward McGloin,
Sgt Harry Michael Parsons,
Sgt James Hill Strathearn,
Sgt John Broderick, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Bordesholm: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 2326 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4310
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Bordesholm
Schleswig-Holstein
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 Breighton at 2052LT on an operation to Kiel. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Bordesholm, 17 km south southwest of Kiel. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Kay Moore, pilot,
Sgt Harry Lloyd, flight engineer,
F/O Bruce Kinley Rust, navigator,
P/O John Gordon Lee, bomb aimer,
W/O Ronald Gooding, wireless operator,
W/O Walter Boscawen Ranclaud, air gunner,
F/Sgt Robert Frederick Cooksey, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Weissenhaus: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 2325 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR699
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Weissenhaus
Schleswig-Holstein
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 Melbourne at 2052LT on an operation to Kiel. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea some 4 km northeast of Weissenhaus. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Allistair Wann, pilot,
F/Sgt William Malcolm Maisenbacher, flight engineer,
P/O Norman Bertram, navigator,
Sgt William Ernest Scanlon, bomb aimer,
P/O Henry Wheen, wireless operator,
P/O David Colin Tansley Jagger, air gunner,
P/O Eric Vernon Frankland, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Ribe: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 2322 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
R9327
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Location:
Ribe
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 Lakenheath at 2039LT on an operation to Kiel. Over Denmark, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Ribe. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Andrew Way, pilot,
Sgt Neil MacLeod, flight engineer,
Sgt James Palmer, navigator,
Sgt Ronald George Woodfield, bomb aimer,
Sgt Reginald Percival Bilham, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward George Kingm, air gunner,
Sgt William Edwin Norman, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 2308 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED615
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
Location:
Rosenfeld
Schleswig-Holstein
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 Warboys at 2024LT on an operation to Kiel. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Rosenfeld, two km east of Schwentinental. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Brian Grimston, pilot,
F/O Karl Girrbach, pilot,
Sgt Thomas John Woodward, flight engineer,
F/O Alfred Beazley Marsh, navigator,
P/O Stewart James Volante, bomb aimer,
P/O Albert Leonard Stanley Portch, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Kevin Robert Hazelwood, air gunner,
W/O Graham Campbell Stafford, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 0207 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT673
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Leeming AFB
North 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 Leeming at 1951LT on April 3 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, the undercarriage failed to lower and the bomber crash landed and was damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/Sgt F. W. Wood, pilot,
Sgt R. W. Duncanson,
F/Sgt I. J. Palmer,
Sgt J. H. McNess,
P/O C. O'Connell,
Sgt J. B. Cameron,
P/O W. A. McIlroy, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Belly landing after the undercarriage failed to lower.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Sigglesthorne: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 0048 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR754
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lissett - Lissett
Location:
Sigglesthorne
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lissett at 1940LT on April 3 on an operation to Essen. The following night, while returning to base, it crashed in unknown circumstances between Stud Farm and Wassand Hall which are located east of Sigglesthorne. Four crew members were killed and three others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt John Keedwell, pilot, †
Sgt John Robert Franks, flight engineer, †
P/O W. R. Simpson, navigator,
F/O John Burgess, bomb aimer, †
Sgt R. S. Nurse, wireless operator,
Sgt Reginald Victor Loose, air gunner, †
Sgt L. P. Froud, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Vlieland Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 0047 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR713
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Vlieland Island
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1945LT on an operation to Essen. The following night, while returning to base, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 60 km northwest of Vlieland Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Robert Hodgson Perry Gamble, pilot,
Sgt Robert Walton Barker, flight engineer,
W/O Donald Leslie Jarrett, navigator,
P/O Charles Noola Black, bomb aimer,
P/O Kenneth Septimus McColl, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert James Hawkins, air gunner,
F/O Edmund Rothell Ray, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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