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France
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Charente-Maritime

Crash of a Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard in Courcoury

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard
Operator:
Registration:
234/F-TESR
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
287
YOM:
1960
Location:
Courcoury
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
In unknown circumstances, the Broussard registered 234/F-TESR collided in flight with a second French Army Broussard registered 185/F-TESS. While the second Broussard was able to land, the first crashed and was destroyed. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.65 Consul near La Rochelle

Date & Time: Nov 13, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Airspeed AS.65 Consul
Operator:
Registration:
G-AJGC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
5119
YOM:
1947
Location:
La Rochelle
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing for unknown reason. There were no casualties but the aircraft owned by D. L. Steiner was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Consolidated LB-30 Liberator in Rochefort: 28 killed

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1945 at 1330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated LB-30 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
KH125
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Rochefort
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
23
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
28
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from India to RAF Oakington, near Manchester, on behalf of the Air Transport Command (ATC). While cruising in poor weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed near Rochefort, killing all 28 occupants.
Crew:
F/lt L. J. Slack,
F/Lt E. W. Beech,
F/Lt A. J. Balsom,
W/O S. J. Gillingham,
F/O H. Rowe.
Passengers:
LAC C. C. Baker,
LAC W. R. Birkett,
LAC B. F. Blackbourn,
Sgt H. Bolton,
Bsm T. G. Burch,
Sgt C. Donaldson,
F/Lt W. G. Gibson,
Sgt L. Hainsworth,
Cdr J. G. Halliday,
Bom H. D. Henderson,
Pvt C. J. John,
Pvt A. Mitchell,
Gun R. W. Norton,
Pvt F. J. Parkin,
Gun S. W. Pearson,
Pvt I. G. Richards,
Gun D. Ross,
Gun C. C. Thompson,
Bom W. E. Turner,
LAC W. Vincent,
Pvt D. West,
Gun G. Whitehead,
Cpl E. S. Winslade.
Probable cause:
The loss of control occurred while the aircraft was flying in a low pressure area with thunderstorm activity and severe turbulence. It is understood that the aircraft suffered of turbulence, maybe was hit by lightning and lost several pieces on the left wing before the control was lost.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off La Rochelle

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3351
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
East Wretham - East Wretham
Location:
La Rochelle
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1713LT to lay mines off the west French coast. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off La Rochelle. All five crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie William Hickman, pilot,
F/Sgt William Thomas Jones,
F/Sgt Donald McKay,
Sgt Samuel William Walmsley,
F/Sgt William Douglas Victor Pearce, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off La Rochelle: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1942 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
W5394
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wickenby - Wickenby
Location:
La Rochelle
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wickenby at 0035LT to lay mines in the French waters off La Pallice, a district west of La Rochelle. Approaching the target area, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea and was lost. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Henry Wilcox, pilot,
Sgt William George Brown, navigator,
F/Sgt Aubrey Russell Swain, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Harold Gilchrist Wilson, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Samuel Lord, air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off La Rochelle: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
BD290
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
MSN:
2597
YOM:
1942
Location:
La Rochelle
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval on a maritime patrol flight over the Bay of Biscay. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off La Rochelle. The pilot was killed while four other crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt James William McLean, pilot, †
Sgt Philip Francis Barnet Creech, copilot,
W/O John Donald Carmichael, radio operator,
W/O John Torrie Johnston, observer,
Sgt Melvin Howard Treanor, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off La Rochelle: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BJ777
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Binbrook - Binbrook
Location:
La Rochelle
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 1920LT on an operation to the industrial district of La Pallice in La Rochelle. Approaching the target area, it crashed into the sea and was lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Norman Barker, pilot,
P/O Philip Valters Hewitt, observer,
P/O Stanley Howlet, observer,
F/Sgt William Henry McAlwane, wireless operator,
Sgt Joseph Coyne, air gunner.

Crash of a Caudron C.445 Goéland in Saint-Jean-d'Angély: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Caudron C.440 Goéland
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
382
Location:
Saint-Jean-d'Angély
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Saint-Jean-d'Angély, killing all four occupants members.
Crew:
Lt Heinz Will, pilot,
Uffz Franz Weinhandel, radio operator,
Uffz Jan Tielboer, air gunner.
Passenger:
Otto Warthemann.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I in Saint-Trojan-les-Bains: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW202
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
MSN:
9909
YOM:
1941
Location:
Saint-Trojan-les-Bains
Charente-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval at 0339LT on an anti-shipping operation. Flying along the French coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Saint-Trojan-les-Bains. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Peter Inglis Hall, pilot,
P/O Henry Leslie Powell, observer, †
Sgt James Eric Davis, wireless operator, †
Sgt Alwyn Howard, air gunner.
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