Country
Netherlands
code

Friesland

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlieland Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1943 at 2223 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4361
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds
Location:
Vlieland Island
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 Elsham Wolds at 1853LT on an operation to Berlin. While cruising along the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Vlieland Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt William Frank Austin, pilot,
P/O Alfred Frederick Reif, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Peter George Roberts, navigator,
Sgt Derrick Norman Duckers Waite, bomb aimer,
Sgt Kenneth Herbert Chapman, wireless operator,
Sgt Donald Edward Joseph Boland, air gunner,
Sgt Edward John Cook, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlieland Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1943 at 2223 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4920
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Vlieland Island
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 Syerston at 1854LT on an operation to Berlin. While cruising along the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Vlieland Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Harry Mathew Champion, pilot,
Sgt Robert Kirby Hall, flight engineer,
W/O James Joseph Rooney, navigator,
Sgt Abraham Lawson Brown, bomb aimer,
Sgt Percy John Folker, wireless operator,
Sgt Phillip William Garnham, air gunner,
Sgt Robert Wrightson, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1943 at 2139 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT641
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Location:
Ameland Island
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 Middleton St George at 1850LT on an operation to Berlin. While cruising along the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Ameland Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Arthur James Herriott, pilot,
Sgt Arthur David Cherkinsky, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Wilfred George Francis, navigator,
F/Sgt Albert Leroy Bateman, bomb aimer,
Sgt James Nicol Gray, wireless operator,
Sgt John Kowalski, air gunner,
F/Sgt Alexander Trevor Woodhouse, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Ameland Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943 at 2144 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF411
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bourn - Bourn
Location:
Ameland Island
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bourn at 1810LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While flying along the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 10 km north of Ameland Island. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Charles Monteith, pilot,
Sgt Edward William Oxenbridge, copilot,
Sgt Bertram Wallace Willbourn, flight engineer,
Sgt Cyril Noel Goodchild, navigator,
Sgt John George Ethelston, bomb aimer,
Sgt Jack Lewis Richardson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Duncan Elwin Seeley, air gunner,
F/O Patrick Brennan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Wierum: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943 at 2118 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF378
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bourn - Bourn
Location:
Wierum
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 Bourn at 1753LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While cruising along the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Wierum, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Bernard Verdun Crawford, pilot,
Sgt William Henry Macklin, flight engineer,
F/O Clarence Roy Long, navigator,
F/O Paul Terence Howson, bomb aimer,
Sgt Kenneth Stuart, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Charles John Jay Wellesley, air gunner,
Sgt Arnold Harvey Borrett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlieland Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943 at 2105 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED525
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bottesford - Bottesford
Location:
Vlieland Island
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 Bottesford at 1757LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While cruising along the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea north of Vlieland Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt James Barnett Michie, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Bailey, flight engineer,
F/O William Kadison Komaiko, navigator,
Sgt Jack Sydney Turner, bomb aimer,
Sgt George McLoughlin, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Harry Lyle Brown, air gunner,
Sgt Reginald Alfred John King, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III near Buren: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943 at 2100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF457
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bourn - Bourn
Location:
Buren (Ameland Island)
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bourn at 1750LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While overflying the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed 5 km east of Buren, on Ameland Island. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O David Joseph Hopson, pilot,
Sgt Clifford William James, flight engineer,
F/O Edward Lloyd George Ratcliffe, navigator,
F/O Lawrence Bartlett Carson, bomb aimer,
Sgt Ronald Frank Fowler, wireless operator,
Sgt Alfred James Ellis, air gunner,
Sgt Ronald George Weaver, air gunner,
F/O John Williams, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III off Vlieland Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED485
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
Location:
Vlieland Island
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 Warboys at 1807LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While cruising along the Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea north of Vlieland Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Thomas Edward Case, pilot,
Sgt John William Denby, flight engineer,
P/O Harry William Welch, navigator,
Sgt Elias Cuthbert, bomb aimer,
Sgt Hugh Alexander McLennen, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward Percy George Bayliss, air gunner,
P/O Pierre Yves Camille Tremblay, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlieland Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943 at 2131 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4375
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Location:
Vlieland Island
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 Scampton at 1829LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 30 km northwest of Vlieland Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Denis Paul Langley, pilot,
Sgt John Robert Pyper, flight engineer,
Sgt William McCarron, navigator,
W/O Edward Trezise Bunt, bomb aimer,
Sgt Peter Anthony Waller, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Charles Smith, air gunner,
Sgt Samuel Frederick Watt, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-25-BO Flying Fortress off Terschelling: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1943 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24544
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn
MSN:
3229
YOM:
1942
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Chelveston on an operation to Hamm. Cloud cover over the target area prevented bombing of the primary target at Hamm and the formation diverted to the industrial area of Emden, Germany. Over the target area, the aircraft sustained damage from the German Flak and was later attacked by German fighters, damaging the engine n°3 that caught fire, along with other damage to the right wing. While the crew started to bail out, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the North Sea some 20 km northwest of Terschelling. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Alan L. Bobrow, pilot,
1st Lt John J. Sanders, copilot,
1st Lt Everett L. Clinard Jr., navigator,
1st Lt Norman L. Andrews, bombardier,
T/Sgt Paul L. Bass, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Cyril E. Curb, radio operator,
S/Sgt Lewis J. Fredricks, air gunner,
Sgt Charles E. Blackburn, air gunner,
T/Sgt Bill J. Wheeler, air gunner,
Sgt Edwin R. Campbell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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