Royal Air Force - RAF | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 2330LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. Over Friesland, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Opeinde. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Francis Harold Robertson, pilot, †
Sgt Joseph John Cooper, flight engineer, †
Sgt James Charles Henry, navigator,
P/O Wilfred Alfred John Fuller, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Maurice John Dembrey, wireless operator, †
Sgt Robert Stoker, air gunner,
P/O Henry Frederick Charles Humphries, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Langwarden

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0150 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

X3412

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Marham - Marham

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The airplane departed RAF Marham on an operation to Hamburg. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak in the port engine. The crew elected to return to base but the airplane lost height and was ditched into the sea of Wadden off Langwarden. All five crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt James Courtney Robert Howells,
Sgt Cecil Raymond Lindridge,
Sgt William Shepherd,
Sgt William Frederick Waite,
Sgt William Lewis Walker.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Pippensen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0148 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

R9485

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George

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The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2303LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Pippensen. Three crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Barr, flight engineer, †
P/O Arthur Stuart Hawkins, observer, †
Sgt Douglas Lester Osborne, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric James Butt,
Sgt Charles Morris Muir,
Sgt Reginald George William Woollard,
Sgt E. C. Sudbury.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Brunsbüttel: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0147 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

R9328

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 2250LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. After passing the sea of Wadden, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the Elbe River off Brunsbüttel. Three crew members were killed and four others were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt John Norman Harris, pilot,
Sgt Alun John Roberts, flight engineer,
Sgt William Charles Percival Harfoot, navigator, †
F/O Douglas Percy Leigo, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Robert Charles Stewart-Moore, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Edward Blythe, air gunner,
Sgt James Humphrey Caldwell, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Dose: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0146 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

Z1596

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

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The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Dose, some 45 km northwest of Oldenburg. Four crew members were killed and the air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ian James Shepherd, pilot, †
P/O Reginald Sidney Lees, observer, †
P/O Norman Bruce Robertson, wireless operator, †
Sgt James Francis Winstanley, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Dixon, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Westerholte: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0131 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5367

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Binbrook - Binbrook

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The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 2305LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. Flying north of Osnabrück, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a field in Westerholte. Four crew members were killed while the pilot became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Alec Stephen Holgate, pilot,
Sgt Robert Frederick Ashby, observer,
F/Sgt Leslie Thomas William Grady, wireless operator,
Sgt Allan Cyril Savory, wireless operator,
Sgt Philip Harry Jackett, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Grossenaspe: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

Z1654

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

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The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 2300LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the target area from the north, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Grossenaspe, some 45 km north of Hamburg. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Hudson, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Walter Pierard, observer,
F/Sgt Victor Raymond Lenichek, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Leslie Lloyd, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John Rross, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III off Spiekeroog Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0126 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

AL746

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley

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The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 2123LT on July 26 on an intruder operation to Germany. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Spiekeroog Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Victor Nelson Salmon, pilot,
P/O Harold Frederick Deck, observer,
F/Sgt Sidney Duckworth, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Edward Caleb Oxley, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Neumünster: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1483

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Breighton - Breighton

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The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2255LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the target area from the north, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Neumünster, some 60 km north of Hamburg. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Aubrey Archdale Bice,
F/O Frederick James Breen,
Sgt John Storey,
Sgt Archibald Edmond Tinkler,
Sgt Ivan Thomas Tulloh.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Horst: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1942 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1319

Flight Phase:

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Survivors:

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Schedule:

Grimsby - Grimsby

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The airplane departed RAF Grimsby at 2245LT on July 26 on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Horst. Two crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Charles Lealand Olsson, pilot,
F/O James Aarthur Goring, observer,
P/O William Scott Findlay, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt William Alfred Penney, air gunner, †
Sgt Alfred Herbert Collinson, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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