Country
United Kingdom
Operator Image

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off The Hague: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6039
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley
Location:
The Hague
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1122LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea, about 12 km northwest off The Hague. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald West Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Frederick George Withrington, observer,
Sgt Selwyn Sparkes, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Scheveningen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7439
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley
Location:
Scheveningen
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1122LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Scheveningen. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Gordon Farrow, pilot,
Sgt Edwin Cyril Saunders, observer,
F/Sgt Oswald Harry Robinson, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV on Goodwin Sands

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 1150 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6369
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Goodwin Sands
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1115LT on an anti-shipping operation. Damaged by enemy fire, it was returning to base when it crash landed on Goodwin Sands. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt L. Maguire, pilot,
Sgt E. R. Bangor-Jones, observer,
Sgt J. R. L. Haskins, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6030
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Deal
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Wyton in an attempt to raid Wesel using cloud cover. Due to clearing skies, the crew returned to base when the airplane was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the seas off Deal. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Godfrey Howard Davies, flight engineer,
Sgt Alfred James Higgison,
F/O Sydney Douglas Marshall,
Sgt Gordon Hogarth Mayor,
P/O John Davis Walker McCallum, observer,
F/Sgt Charles George White, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Walter Dudley Frost, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Conister Howl: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 0435 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L8729
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Church Fenton - Church Fenton
Location:
Conister Howl
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a solo training sortie on behalf of the 54 OTU. The goal of the exercise was searchlight homing under R/T. After departure, the pilot was unwittingly vectored over the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills by the by the ground-based controller. In limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
P/O Alexander Douglas McMurtrie, pilot.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Cockayne Ridge

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L1449
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Church Fenton - Church Fenton
MSN:
8732
YOM:
1939
Location:
Cockayne Ridge
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a solo training sortie on behalf of the 54 OTU. The goal of the exercise was searchlight homing under R/T. After departure, the pilot was unwittingly vectored over the North Yorkshire Moors and Cleveland Hills by the by the ground-based controller. While attempting to break clouds at about 1,500 - 2,000 feet to see the searchlights, the airplane impacted the slope of a hill. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was seriously injured.
Crew:
P/O Edward James Woodhead, pilot.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Balderton: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 0250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
N2840
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Balderton
Nottinghamshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 2258LT on July 17 on an operation to Rotterdam. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a JU.88C and crashed in Balderton, southeast of Newark-on-Trent. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Pvt Marion Jozef Czerniejewski,
Lt Bronisław Klatt,
Cpt Bolesław Kuzian,
Cpl Jan Podziemski,
Sgt Jan Sylwestrowicz,
Cpl Janusz Tomaszewski.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Cockfield: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 0105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
N2853
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Location:
Cockfield
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2341LT on July 17 on an operation to Cologne. After being hit by the German Flak, the crew was returning to base when the pilot decided to make an emergency landing. While doing so, he was blinded by a searchlight team stationed at Cockfield, 9 miles north-northeast of Sudbury, Suffolk. With his night vision lost, the pilot crashed through a line of trees, near the Moat, between Oldhall Green and Cross Green, bursting into flames. The wireless operator was killed and five other occupants were injured.
Crew:
Sgt P. Gibbins,
Sgt D. C. Stewart,
Sgt H. F. Jordan,
Sgt J. R. Main,
Sgt J. M. Dixon,
Sgt Peter Gibbins, wireless operator. †

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF at RAF Church Fenton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
K7090
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Church Fenton - Church Fenton
MSN:
8043
YOM:
1937
Location:
Church Fenton AFB
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton for his first night solo sortie. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field located 1,5 mile from the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Cyril John Neighbour, pilot.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the pilot lost control of the airplane after he failed to maintain proper contact with his instruments while orbiting the flashing beacon owing to the presence of enemy aircraft in the vicinity.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Cape Gris-Nez: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7502
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Cape Gris-Nez
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1115LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Cape Gris-Nez. The observer was killed and two other crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Denis Graham-Hogg, pilot,
F/Sgt David William Wyatt, observer, †
Sgt James Marsden, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.
Subscribe to Royal Air Force - RAF