Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Vilt: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ME321
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mepal - Mepal
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Mepal at 1548LT on a bombing mission to Vohwinkel. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Vilt. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (75th Squadron)
W/Cdr Raymond John Newton, pilot,
P/O Richard Justin Aitchinson, pilot,
F/Sgt John Stanley Hoskins,
F/Sgt Arthur Lee,
Sgt Martin Brennan, air gunner,
Sgt Victor James Clark,
Sgt Leonard James Cooke,
Sgt Harry Sansome.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Venlo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1944 at 1545 LT
Operator:
Registration:
FW163
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
After bombing roads and bridges in the region of Venlo, the crew was returning to his base in England when he was hit by the German Flak. The captain decided to return to Venlo and attempted to make an emergency landing at Venlo. On final approach, two of the occupants bailed out but the distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient thus both crewmen crashed and were killed. Both pilots continued the approach but on landing, the aircraft hit violently the runway surface, went out of control and came to rest in flames. Both pilots were seriously injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A Dakota III in Kessel: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 19, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
KG401
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
12436
YOM:
1944
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft had just dropped its supplies from 700 feet when it was met with intense anti-aircraft fire. The tail unit, rudder, port aileron and engine, the starboard auxiliary fuel tank and all the gyro instruments were either damaged or put out of action, and one of the Army dispatchers was mortally wounded. The captain, F/O L. R. Pattee and his copilot, F/O A. C. Kent, flew the crippled aircraft back to the British lines, through three more areas of enemy flak, where they sustained further serious damage, including a five foot hole in the starboard wing which caught fire, and complete electrical and communications failure. Once over the British lines, Pattee gave the crew and dispatchers the opportunity to bale out, but they refused and the pilots then made a successful belly-landing in the field. No sooner had they all quit the Dakota, than it was engulfed by flames. The unfortunate dispatcher died soon after the landing, while the others were taken to Brussels and the crew returned to RAF Down Ampney.
Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LM465
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Mildenhall in the evening of June 12 on a bombing mission to Gelsenkirchen. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in a field located in Tienray. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Carl Thompson, pilot,
Roderick McMillan, navigator,
Ronald Lemky, flight engineer,
Sgt Jack Trend, radio operator,
Sgt Tom Stubbs, air gunner,
Sgt Duke Pelham, air gunner,
Sgt Dick Mobbs, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-20-BO Flying Fortress in Afferden

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-31510
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
6624
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While overflying The Netherlands, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. Aircraft came to rest in a field located in Afferden, Limburg. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all ten occupants escaped.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax in Venray: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
HR799
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route, the bomber was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. Six crew members were able to bail out while two others were killed when the aircraft crashed in a field.
Crew killed were Sgt W. Brown and F/O H. Krohn.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Ysselsteyn: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2148 LT
Operator:
Registration:
DT751
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1917LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed near Ysselsteyn. An air gunner was killed and six other crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Nevines, pilot,
Sgt Frederick George Stapleton, flight engineer,
P/O John Bernard Locke, navigator,
Sgt Walter Stafford Poland, bomb aimer,
Sgt Walter Stafford Wright, wireless operator,
Sgt Patrick Christopher Ratcliffe, air gunner,
Sgt Anthony Cecil Sharpe, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED449
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1940LT on an operation to Essen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Well, on the east bank of the Maas River. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Frederick Ward, pilot,
Sgt Robert Wilson, flight engineer,
Sgt Frederick Stephens, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Heslop, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Andrew Allan, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard John Jenkins, air gunner,
F/Sgt Victor Robert David, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2116 LT
Operator:
Registration:
HR692
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1921LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Horst, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Leslie Barker, pilot,
Sgt William Lloyd George Thompson, flight engineer,
Sgt Kenneth Alfred Mills, navigator,
F/O Ronald James Paul, navigator,
Sgt Leonard Evan Thomas, wireless operator,
Sgt James Freel, air gunner,
Sgt George Albert Hyatt, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Beegden: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943 at 2106 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3420
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1806LT on an operation to Cologne. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Beegden, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
W/Cdr Sedley Stewart Blanchard, pilot,
W/O Kenneth William Tutton, copilot,
F/O Paul Winstanley Jeanneret, navigator,
Sgt Percival Maurice Corley, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Arthur Grant Longwell, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Joseph Henry Eveline, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.