Lower Saxony | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 2245LT on an operation to Vechta Airfield. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in a pasture located east of the city. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Fred Martyn Thorne, pilot,
P/O Bryan Manssen Cook, observer,
P/O William Smith Blackadder, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88 off Bad Zwischenahn: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dinard - Oldenburg-Bad Zwischenahn

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The airplane was transferred from Dinard, France, to the airport of Oldenburg-Bad Zwischenahn in Rostrup. While on approach, the airplane collided with a second Luftwaffe Junkers JU.88 that was carrying a crew of four. Both airplanes entered a dive and crashed into the Zwischenahn Lake off Bad Zwischenahn. All nine crew members in both airplanes were killed.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88 off Bad Zwischenahn: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.88

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Dinard - Oldenburg-Bad Zwischenahn

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The airplane was transferred from Dinard, France, to the airport of Oldenburg-Bad Zwischenahn in Rostrup. While on approach, the airplane collided with a second Luftwaffe Junkers JU.88 that was carrying a crew of five. Both airplanes entered a dive and crashed into the Zwischenahn Lake off Bad Zwischenahn. All nine crew members in both airplanes were killed.
Crew:
Cpl Rudolf Zopf +3.

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

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1942 at 0251 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1106

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

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The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 2348LT on July 19 on an operation to Vegesack. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea off Borkum Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Samuel Victor Fegan,
Sgt Albert John Beattie,
F/Sgt William Graham Gibson,
Sgt Cresswell Atchison,
F/Sgt Frederick William Stewart,
P/O Erle Ernest Edward Johnstone,
Sgt Frederick George Albert Bick.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV off Norderney: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1942 at 0047 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1328

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Breighton - Breighton

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The airplane departed RAF Breighton 2235LT on July 12 to lay mines in the Nectarines region. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea some 3-4 km off Norderney. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Alan Lipson Moyle, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Charles Brayne, pilot,
Sgt Raymond John Bruce Sharkey, observer,
Sgt Thomas David Belford, observer,
Sgt Ronald John Perry, wireless operator,
Sgt Lenard Charles Underwood Dreyer, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III off Wilhelmshaven: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1942 at 0140 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

X3634

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bourn - Bourn

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The airplane departed RAF Bourn on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the Bay of Jade, off Wilhelmshaven. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Richard Tregea, pilot,
Sgt Hugh Cuthbert Craig,
Sgt Alexander Albert Brace.
Sgt Charles Henry Stewart,
Sgt Leslie John Symonds.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV in Hoogstede: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1942 at 0213 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1381

Flight Phase:

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Breighton - Breighton

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The airplane departed RAF Breighton at 2327LT on July 2 on an operation to Bremen. After passing the Dutch / German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Hoogstede. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur Maxwell Johnston, pilot, †
Sgt Darryl Downing, pilot, †
Sgt Maxwell Joseph Andrew Wyllie, observer,
Sgt David August Radke, wireless operator,
Sgt William James Taylor, air gunner, †
W/O William Gerald Reed, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Vahren: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1942 at 0145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R1617

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

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The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2300LT on July 2 on an operation to Bremen. Approaching Cloppenburg at an altitude of 12,000 feet, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Vahren. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Douglas Wilberforce Spooner, pilot,
P/O G. E. Mayer, observer,
Sgt Alvin Leslie Spafford, wireless operator,
Sgt Cultra Vallance Webb, air gunner,
F/Sgt A. Szmaites, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Bookholt: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

DV611

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

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The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2321LT on July 2 on an operation to Bremen. After passing the Dutch / German border, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Bookholt, north of Nordhorn. Four crew members were killed and the observer became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Archie Thomas Little, pilot, †
P/O David Harold Davidner, observer,
Sgt Thomas Alfred Elliott, wireless operator, †
Sgt John William Edwards, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Joseph Vincent Chicoine, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Hartward

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1942 at 0215 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

N3757

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Wyton - Wyton

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The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2305LT on June 29 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Hartward. All seven crew members became PoW.
Crew:
S/L I. G. Richmond,
Sgt Bernard Basil Finn,
Sgt Archibald McLeod,
F/Sgt N. G. Potter,
Sgt Vincent Horace Rainbow,
P/O Francis Edward Scott,
F/O Richard William Smith.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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