East Sussex

En route, while cruising at low altitude, the four engine aircraft christened 'Ruth Less' hit a hill and crashed near Eastbourne, East Sussex. All ten crew members were killed.

The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 0001LT on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night, it crashed at 0256LT on heath land in the Ashdown Forest near Nutley. The bomber struck the ground in a slight nose down attitude and with the left engine feathered. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Victor Ronald Sutton, pilot,
F/Sgt Henry Alexander Vincent Vidler, pilot,
Sgt Wilfred Stanley Brooks, observer,
F/Sgt Arthur Ernest Cave, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Stanley Hathaway, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Leonard Saunders, air gunner.

The bomber crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some six miles south of Newhaven. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Hptm Wolfgang Langner, pilot,
Uffz Erwin Ortmann, observer,
Ofw Heinz Krause, radio operator,
Uffz Karl Beirsack, mechanic.

The crew departed RAF Middle Wallop on a navigation training exercise. While flying at low height, the crew lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field in Crowborough. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Harry Wilson, pilot,
F/Sgt James Terrence Blackwell, wireless operator.

The airplane was engaged in an mission to Liverpool when it was shot down by the pilot of a Beaufighter and crashed in Beachy Head. All four crew members were killed.
crew:
Fw Siegfried Helbig, pilot,
Fw Johann Hafner, radio operator,
Gefr Lothar Rüdiger, observer,
Uffz Karl Hilke, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2015LT on December 21 to bomb an industrial area located in Porto Marghera, near Venice, Italy. While returning to base the following night, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a field located in Lullington Court, some 12 km northwest of Eastbourne. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (9th Squadron):
Sgt Robert Norman Harrison, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Gapp, pilot,
Sgt Leslie William Nichols, navigator and observer,
Sgt Maurice Holker, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Riley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Docker, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF West Raynham at 2108LT on December 16 on an operation to Mannheim. The following night, while returning to base, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Fairlight. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Skipworth, pilot,
Sgt Walter Edward Need, observer,
Sgt Donald Stephenson, wireless operator and air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Newmarket in the evening of November 8 on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to his base the following night, the crew ditched the airplane off Hastings. A crew was slightly injured.
Crew:
Sgt A. N. Goodall,
Sgt E. A. Fletcher,
F/O A. W. Belbin,
Sgt A. N. Goodall,
Sgt L. Mitchell,
Sgt W. Allmark.

While completing a routine patrol flight at night, the crew encountered engine vibrations. After the pilot throttled back, the airplane entered a high speed stall and became uncontrollable. Both crew members bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in Ewhurst, in the suburb of Hastings. A crew member survived while the second was killed as his parachute failed to open.
Crew:
P/O Geoffrey Mons Head, pilot,
P/O Rupert Victor Baron, observer. †

The airplane departed Gilze-Rijen AFB on an operation to London. Approaching the English coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a Hurricane and crashed into the sea off Hastings. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw H. Gutacker, pilot,
Lt E. Wesemann, observer,
Uffz E. Meusel,
Fw H. Giess.