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Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Maurik

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941 at 0235 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z6866
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
2207
YOM:
1941
Location:
Maurik
Gelderland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 2230LT on July 25 on an operation to Hanover. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by the German Flak and crash landed in Maurik. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Henry George Benfield,
Sgt Kenneth Samuel Carter,
P/O Idrwerth Patrick Bentley Denton,
Sgt Walter Raymond Gibson,
Sgt Robert Valentine Harnett.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Düsseldorf: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
X9639
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Düsseldorf
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2258LT on July 25 on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Düsseldorf. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
Cpl Andrzej Horak, †
Lt Wladysław Zbigniew Jakimowicz, †
Sgt Mieczysław Sloma, †
Lt Tadeuz Srzednicki, †
Sgt Feliks Zemmler, †
Sgt Jerzy Danielewicz.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Cromer

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1178
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Cromer
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 2259LT on July 25 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it was ditched 9 miles northeast of Cromer. All six crew members were rescued.
Crew:
P/O Klecha,
P/O Gostomski,
F/O Surawski,
Sgt Wize,
Sgt Chanecki,
Sgt Tomaszewski.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I in Wustermark: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9507
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Wustermark
Brandenburg
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 Linton-on-Ouse at 2242LT on July 25 on an operation to Berlin. Approaching the target area, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Wustermark, some 32 km west of Berlin. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ernest Ronald Peter Shackle Cooper, pilot,
Sgt John Milne Rigg Cruickshank, pilot,
F/Sgt Robert Victor Collinge, observer,
F/Sgt Reginald Arthur Bates, air gunner,
F/Sgt Albert James Heller, wireless operator,
Sgt Douglas James Mennie, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Short.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Den Helder: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z6576
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
2047
YOM:
1941
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 2224LT on July 25 on an operation to Hanover. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 10 km west of Den Helder. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Eric Alliott Verdon-Roe, pilot,
Sgt Anthony Russell Holmes,
Sgt William Albert McGinley,
Sgt Leslie Netherclift,
P/O William Larry Rees.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas A-20A Havoc in Manston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
AW402
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Manston - Ford
Location:
Manston
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
During the night, the airplane was involved in an operation to Ostend then returned to RAF Manston. After being refueled, it was taking off to return to its base at RAF Ford. It crashed upon takeoff for unknown reasons, coming to rest in flames. All three crew members were seriously injured and the pilot died from injuries sustained on August 10.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. B. Raffels,
Sgt R. W. Richardson,
Sgt C. L. M. Forsyth.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at Sungai Besi AFB

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L6635
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Location:
Kuala Lumpur-Sungai Besi AFB (Sempang)
Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Country:
Malaysia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and overshot the runway after landing, causing the undercarriage to collapse. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in the Ouse River

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941 at 2320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
T4285
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
MSN:
1938
YOM:
1940
Location:
Linton-on-Ouse AFB
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2306LT on an operation to Emden. Fourteen minutes later, it crashed for unknown reasons in the River Ouse. All five crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt H. A. Williams,
F/S Knight,
P/O Rees,
Sgt Horne,
Sgt Fenton.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Swinderby: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941 at 2240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE234
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Location:
Swinderby AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 2240LT on an operation to Hanover. Shortly after takeoff, it suffered an engine failure and crashed southwest of the airbase. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Charles George Montgomery, pilot,
Sgt Robert Hooker Rampton, observer,
Sgt Wilfred Ellsley, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert Edward Medden, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near RAF Newmarket

Date & Time: Jul 25, 1941 at 1525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z6727
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2115
YOM:
1941
Location:
Newmarket AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in an operation for testing secret equipment when engines failed. The crew made an emergency landing then the airplane collided with a telegraph pole and crashed near RAF Newmarket. All eight occupants were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt A. D. Jackson,
Sgt L. R. Burgan,
Sgt R. J. Bramley,
Sgt A. Hughes,
2nd Lt Helat,
Sgt Laverdet,
Lt Baessonas,
Lt Stewart.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.
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