Devonshire | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport on an operation to England. In the area of Exeter, it was shot down by the British Flak and crashed in Southwood Farm. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Rolf Güldenpfennig, pilot,
Uffz Gustav Sommer, observer,
Fw Hermann Drame, radio operator,
Gefr Rudolf Baron, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I at RAF Chivenor: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1942 at 2032 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

L9935

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Chivenor - Chivenor

MSN:

9049

YOM:

1940

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Shortly after a night takeoff from RAF Chivenor, while climbing, the pilot initiated a turn to the left when the airplane stalled and crashed one mile east of the airfield. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Meldrum, pilot,
Sgt Clarence Colville McLennan, observer,
Sgt George Alexander Blackwood, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Battram, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I at RAF Chivenor: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942 at 0605 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

L4499

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Chivenor - Chivenor

MSN:

8360

YOM:

1940

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Shortly after takeoff from RAF Chivenor, while on a local training exercise, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed near the airfield. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Robert Frank Spencer-Schrader, pilot instructor.
P/O Anthony Hugh Denison Reffell, pilot,
F/Sgt william Leonard Hheavisides, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Exeter: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1282

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hemswell - Hemswell

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The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1719LT on an operation to Brest. It was attacked by a night-fighter while returning to base, and very badly damaged Shrapnel from one of the shells set fire to a flare which exploded inside the aircraft, blowing the astrodome from its mountings and destroying some of the fuselage fabric. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing at Exeter, but was baulked by another aircraft. Unable to maintain control, the Wellington crashed between Pinhoe and Clyst Honiton on the west side of the aerodrome. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Czesław Bialy, †
Cpl Stefan Niczewski, †
Sgt Zygmunt Sadurski, †
P/O Wojciech Veit, †
F/O H. Kracinski,
F/O J. Chomka.

Probable cause:

Crashed on approach after being attacked by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Tavistock

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1942 at 0615 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

W5682

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Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

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The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 0340LT on an operation to Brest. Unable to locate the target area, the crew decided to return to base when the airplane suffered an engine failure. The bombs were jettisoned and the airplane crash landed at 0615LT some two miles east from Tavistock, coming to rest against a haystack. All six crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/O Slama,
Sgt J. Fina,
Sgt Mazurek,
Sgt Raiskup,
Sgt Sipula,
Sgt J. Svoboda.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Ashburton

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

Z8971

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

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The airplane departed RAF Feltwell on an operation to Brest. While returning to base, it crashed for unknown reasons in Dartmoor, northwest of Ashburton. All six crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Crew:
Sgt Machin, pilot,
Sgt Thompson,
Sgt G. S. Bolshaw,
Sgt W. F. Bourne,
Sgt Buckby,
Sgt J. D. Clements.

Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland II off RAF Mount Batten: 11 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Short S.25 Sunderland

Operator:

Registration:

W3998

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Mount Batten - Mount Batten

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The floatplane departed RAF Mount Batten on a maritime patrol flight with a crew of 15 on board. Shortly after liftoff, while climbing, it went out of control and crashed into the sea some 200 yards offshore. Eleven crew members were killed and four others were rescued.
Crew:
F/Lt David James Fletcher, pilot, †
AC1 Kenneth William Bennett, †
AC1 Robert Cunningham, †
LAC James Wallace Douglas, †
LAC John Burnett Hides, †
Cpl John Humphrey Martin, †
F/Sgt Herbert Frederick Mitchell, air gunner, †
AC2 James Robinson, †
Sgt Herbert Leslie Southall, †
LAC John Hay Wallace, †
AC2 William Watson, †
Sgt G. F. H. Booth,
P/O W. W. Ince,
Sgt H. S. Lodge,
Sgt A. Penny.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Exeter: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1941 at 1645 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5432

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield on a test flight. En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and decided to divert to Exeter Airport where the bomber crashed on approach. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Mellor Rhodes, pilot,
P/O John Ross Robertson, pilot,
Sgt Matthew Ward Wright, observer,
Sgt Bernard Kenneth George Willmer, wireless operator,
Sgt Gordon Bannerman Dundas, wireless operator,
Sgt Victor Ernest Thomas Riddiford, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Horrabridge

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

W5684

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Marham - Marham

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The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2003LT on September 3 on an operation to Brest. After being damaged by the German Flak over the target area, the crew returned to base. As he encountered poor weather conditions, he abandoned the airplane that crashed near Horrabridge. All six crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Scholes,
Sgt Morton,
Sgt Batty,
Sgt Newark,
Sgt Kinsey,
Sgt Haynes.

Probable cause:

Damaged by the German Flak and abandoned by the crew.