Charente-Maritime

Crashed in unknown circumstances in Royan. There were no casualties.

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.

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.

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.

The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 2052LT to lay mines in the Gironde estuary and the Deodars mining area. The airplane was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Royan. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O George Alexander Davie, pilot,
Sgt Derek Oswald Dowson, flight engineer,
Sgt Alan Cartwright Wade, observer,
Sgt Joseph Byrne Woods, navigator,
F/Sgt Leonard Copley, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Arthur Bowers, air gunner,
Sgt Thomas Frank Richardson, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2042LT to lay mines in the Cinnamon area, off La Rochelle. Last heard at 2323LT and probably crashed shortly later into the sea off Isle of Ré, west of La Rochelle. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Harvey Edwards, pilot,
Sgt Archibald Don Gordon, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Robert John Jones, navigator,
F/Sgt Reginald Victor Stuart, navigator,
Sgt Lionel Robert Wallace, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Floyd Roger Willis Anderson, air gunner,
F/Sgt Frank Duncan Roberts, air gunner.

The four engine airplane was mistakenly shot down by friendly fire and crashed west of Royan. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Fritz Marschall, pilot,
Obfw Heinrich Trumpfheller, pilot,
Uffz Werner Heland, radio operator,
Uffz Hans Sikoll, radio operator,
Fw Richard Weber, mechanic,
Ogefr Wilhelm Höcker, air gunner,
Ogefr Heinrich Schmidt, air gunner.

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.

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.

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.