Country
Belgium
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Hainaut

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Boussu-lez-Walcourt: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1942 at 2322 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE197
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Balderton - Balderton
Location:
Boussu-lez-Walcourt
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Balderton at 1954LT on an operation to Saarbrücken. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Boussu-lez-Walcourt, south of Froidchapelle. Two crew members were killed and two others evaded.
Crew:
W/Cdr John Despard Twigg, pilot, †
F/Sgt G. C. Fisher, observer, †
F/Lt Ian Maitland, wireless operator,
F/O Ralph Van den Bok, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Thieulain

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0146 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
W7572
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Location:
Thieulain
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath 2045LT on August 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Thieulain. Three crew members became PoW and four others evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Joseph Basil Downing,
Sgt Douglas Allen Baker,
Sgt T. J. Jenkins,
Sgt H. Williams,
Sgt F. .J Berthelsen,
F/Sgt V. S. Wood,
Sgt G. L. Robinson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Feluy: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1942 at 0139 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4105
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Feluy
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington on an operation to Frankfurt. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Feluy, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Leys Middleton Beaumont, pilot,
P/O Denis Franklin Nicholson, pilot,
P/O Joseph Matthews Rickard, observer,
P/O Gordon Cameron McDonald, observer,
Sgt James Vincent Holland, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Frank Hagger, air gunner,
F/Sgt Robert Gerald Page, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Fleurus: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1942 at 0345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
BD347
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Honeybourne - Honeybourne
MSN:
2605
YOM:
1942
Location:
Fleurus
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honeybourne at 2340LT on July 31 on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a wooded area located near Fleurus, northeast of Charleroi. A wireless operator was killed and three other crew members evaded.
Crew:
Sgt William Thomas Whiting, wireless operator, †
Sgt J. B. R. Black,
Sgt Arthur James Whicher,
P/O Geoffrey Silva.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Braine-le-Comte: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1942 at 0306 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
R5728
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Location:
Braine-le-Comte
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 0001LT on an operation to Saarbrücken. It was shot down by a German fighter and exploded over Braine-le-Comte. One of the four engines crashed on a school that served as shelter for German troops. Six soldiers of the 23 Infantry Division were killed and two others were injured, one seriously. Three houses were destroyed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie Foster, pilot,
Sgt Douglas John Ware, flight engineer,
P/O Robert Hugh Curran, observer,
Sgt Allan Wyles, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Cameron Duff Kennedy, air gunner,
Sgt Cyril John Stallard, air gunner,
Sgt Cyril Alfred Bowes, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Binche: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 1942 at 0210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1311
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Breighton - Breighton
Location:
Binche
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2325LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Binche, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt John Francis Walsh, pilot,
Sgt William Marcel Spongberg, pilot,
Sgt Maurice Michael Fitzgerald, observer,
Sgt Thomas Lee, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Bruce Moore, wireless operator,
Sgt Wallace Hugh Sams, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Montigny-le-Tilleul: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0246 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1791
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Harwell - Harwell
Location:
Montigny-le-Tilleul
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Harwell at 2314LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Montigny-le-Tilleul. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Dennis John Paul, pilot,
W/O Stanley Maurice Green, observer, †
F/Sgt Thomas Leo Lyons, wireless operator, †
Sgt James McCormack, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt "Bunny" Evans, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Charleroi: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1218
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Location:
Charleroi
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor at 1839LT on an operation to Antwerp. Approaching Charleroi, it crashed west of the city, in Marchienne-au-Pont. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Peter John Maxwell Hamilton, pilot, †
P/O David Kimber Fawkes, observer, †
Sgt Andrew Young Condie, wireless operator, †
Sgt Thomas Jackson, wireless operator, †
Sgt Philip George Crittenden, †
Sgt Percival George Ernest Alfred Brown.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I in Grosage: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 25, 1941 at 0116 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I
Operator:
Registration:
L9572
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Grosage
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 2053LT on August 24 on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Grosage, southwest of Chièvres AFB. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Jack McGregor, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Percival McHale, pilot,
Sgt Alistair Alexander Stobie Heggie, observer,
Sgt Walter Norman Collins, flight engineer,
Sgt James Blain Anderson, wireless operator,
Sgt Jack Fuller, wireless operator,
P/O Vivian Maxwell Markham, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Kain: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R3157
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Location:
Kain
Hainaut
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed RAF Feltwell at 2120LT on May 21 on a reconnaissance mission over Dinant. Shortly after midnight, it was shot down by Flak and crashed in Kain, north of Tournai. Both pilots were killed while all three other crewmen became PoW.
Crew (75th Squadron):
F/L John Noel Collins, pilot, †
P/O Francis Albert Gabriel Joseph de Labouchere Sparling, copilot, †
Sgt G. Thorpe,
AC1 John Stanley Brooks,
P/O Leonard Phillip Redcliff Hockey.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Flak.
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