Country
Netherlands
code

Friesland

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Wijnaldum: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1943 at 0254 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB924
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Wijnaldum
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2317LT on May 13 on an operation to Bochum. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Wijnaldum, 3 km northeast of Harlingen. Seven crew members were killed and the bomb aimer survived and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Richard Edward Bragg, pilot, †
Sgt Edwin Pritchard, pilot, †
F/Lt Robert Grey, flight engineer, †
W/O John Miller Farrell, navigator, †
Sgt Harry Ennis Gell, bomb aimer,
Sgt Rodger David Matches, wireless operator, †
Sgt David Baxter, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Allan Alfred Kew, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Hieslum: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 2351 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED589
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bardney - Bardney
Location:
Hieslum
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bardney at 2142LT on an operation to Plzeň. Outbound, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Hielsum. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt George Henry Saxton, pilot,
Sgt Douglas Claude Ferris, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Wallace Reginald MacDonald, navigator,
Sgt Roger Marshall Morris, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Reddish, wireless operator,
Sgt John Charles Owen, air gunner,
Sgt James Buntin, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Eesterga: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 2322 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4981
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Eesterga
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2154LT on an operation to Plzeň. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eesterga, 16 km southwest of Heerenveen. Six crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Anthony Steven Renshaw, pilot, †
Sgt Frederick Arthur Worsnop, flight engineer, †
Sgt Joseph Edward Lecomber, navigator, †
Sgt Henry Rochead Williamson, bomb aimer, †
F/O Stanley Wilfred Gould, wireless operator,
Sgt James McGhee Hargreaves, air gunner, †
Sgt Jack Richard Stone, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Harlingen: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 0202 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT645
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Harlingen
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2322LT on May 12 on an operation to Duisburg. Passing over the Netherlands the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Harlingen. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt David Crofton Smith, pilot,
Sgt Edward Frederick Kinerman, flight engineer,
Sgt Eric Wilson Thomson, navigator,
Sgt Barnard Angus Bunting, bomb aimer,
Sgt Charles Lionel King, wireless operator,
Sgt Murray Hudley Nesbitt, air gunner,
Sgt William John Merrigan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Terschelling: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT627
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Tempsford - Tempsford
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Tempsford in the evening of May 11 on Operation Leek 7 / Catarrah 12 and headed for Holland (Special Operation Executive). Approaching the Dutch coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the North Sea, probably off Terschelling. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O Jan Polnik, pilot,
F/Sgt Bronisław Wojno, pilot,
Sgt Edward Piatkowski, flight engineer,
F/O Jerzy Polkowski, navigator,
Sgt Jerzy Kurzak, bomb aimer,
Sgt Karol Germansinski, wireless operator,
Sgt Piotr Bednarski, dispatcher.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III off Terschelling: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1943 at 2350 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
EF340
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newmarket at 2153LT for mine laying duties in the Nectarines area off the Frisian Islands. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea 20 km northwest of Terschelling. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Reginald Francis Westwood, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Horace Bennetton, flight engineer,
P/O Robert Henry Waldron Bentley, navigator,
Sgt Erwin Henry Reubin Lamb, bomb aimer,
Sgt William Harkness, wireless operator,
Sgt Gilbert Humphreys Rogers, air gunner,
Sgt John McLaren Boswell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Workum: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1943 at 0140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4888
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Location:
Workum
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor at 2140LT on May 4 on an operation to Dortmund. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Workum. Six crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Nicholas James Stanford, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur Harold Clark, flight engineer, †
Sgt Anthony Jules Lawson Lyon, observer, †
P/O Ralph Duncan Paterson, bomb aimer,
F/O William T. Lewis, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Milner Hadfield, air gunner, †
F/Sgt George William Francis Reynolds, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Oldeboorn: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1943 at 0114 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB898
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Oldeboorn
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2243LT on May 4 on an operation to Dortmund. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Olderboorn. Three crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Robert Orin Blackhall, pilot, †
P/O Frederick Hamilton Scythes, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Edward Emmons, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Carl Borthwick Norton, navigator,
Sgt George Irving Semper, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Kenneth Eric Godfrey, wireless operator,
P/O Albert James Sutton, air gunner, †
Sgt Clarence Leslie Horn, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III near Dokkum: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1943 at 0107 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF505
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Downham Market - Downham Market
Location:
Dokkum
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Downham Market at 2240LT on May 4 on an operation to Dortmund. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed south of Dokkum. Five crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Wilbur Lewis Turner, pilot, †
Sgt Frank Norman Robinson, pilot, †
Sgt William Norman Forth, flight engineer, †
Sgt John Llewelyn White, navigator,
P/O Philip Sidney Beck, air bomber,
Sgt John Mitchell Jobling Smith, wireless operator,
F/Sgt George Allan Hinshelwood, air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert Ward Sawkings, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Westergeest: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1943 at 0036 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR667
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Westergeest
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2236LT on May 4 on an operation to Dortmund. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Westergeest, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L John Bernard Flowerdew, pilot,
F/Sgt Peter Edward Tiller, flight engineer,
P/O Donald Edward Grant, navigator,
P/O Harold George Raymond Chiverton, bomb aimer,
Sgt John George Stanley Dutton, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Kenneth Howard Buck, air gunner,
Sgt George Rose, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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