Country
code

Lower Saxony

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-10-DK in Holzminden: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
42-92719
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
12551
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While flying in bad weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie, killing all five crew members.
Crew:
2nd Lt Burton P. R. Culp,
T/Sgt George T. Kelley,
Tec Lloyd F. Rutan,
2nd Lt Donald L. Walch,
S/Sgt Norman R. Wexelman.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-140-CO Liberator in Braunschweig: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-110151
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3947
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Braunschweig while on a bombing mission. Five crew members were killed while four others were taken POW.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J-140-CO Liberator in Braunschweig: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-110153
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3949
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
En route, the four engine aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed, killing all ten crew members.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy action.

Crash of a Boeing B-17G-40-BO Flying Fortress near Schillig

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
42-97083
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
7556
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base in England following a bombing mission over Germany. While overflying the North of Germany, the aircraft was hit by Flak. The left engine was on fire while the right engine was misfiring and smoking. In such situation, captain decided to attempt an emergency landing some 8 km west of Schillig. All ten occupants were unhurt but taken POW while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Ehra-Lessien: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1944 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK538
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was overflying Germany when it was attacked by a German fighter. Two crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft exploded in mid air and crashed in a field in Ehra-Lessien. All five other crewmen were killed.
Crew:
Hubert Wallis, pilot, †
Sergeant T. F. Preston, flight engineer,
L. E. Tozer, navigator,
Sergeant Albert Alfred Pardoe, air gunner, †
Sergeant Kenneth Sims, air gunner, †
Sergeant David John Brewer, air gunner, †
Eric Bremner, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by fighter.

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

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA874
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Coningsby in the early morning on a bombing mission to Dortmund, Germany. While approaching the target by night, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
F/L M. W. G. Divall,
Sgt F. C. A. Blake,
F/G D. R. Warwick,
F/Sgt J. Simpson,
F/Sgt R. McArthur,
Sgt A. Williams,
Sgt G. A. Miles,
Sgt D. Allatson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Nordhorn: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EE144
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Coningsby in the evening of September 14 on a bombing mission to Dortmund, Germany. While overflying Nordhorn by night and at very low height, the crew realized the presence of a church and decided to increase his altitude. Shortly later, the bomber was hit by the German Flak and the right fuel tank was struck. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames, killing all eight crewmen.
Crew (617th Squadron):
S/L G. W. Holden, pilot,
Sgt D. J. D. Powell,
F/Lt T. H. Taerum,
F/Lt R. E. G. Hutchinson,
P/O G. A. Deering,
F/O Frederick Michael Spafford,
F/O H. J. Pringle,
P/O T. A. Meikle.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-85-BO Flying Fortress off Wangerooge Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-30038
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thorpe Abbotts - Thorpe Abbotts
MSN:
5152
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorpe Abbotts on an operation to Bremen. While cruising along the German coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 20 km north of Wangerooge Island. Six crew members were killed and four others were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Paul J. Schmalenbach, pilot, †
F/O George W. Cox, copilot, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Beck, flight engineer, †
1st Lt John F. Brown, navigator,
2nd Lt Jack L. Clark, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Frank J. Podbielski, radio operator,
Sgt Anthony J. Russo, waist gunner, †
S/Sgt Norman C. Goodwin, ball turret gunner,
S/Sgt William C. Lucas, waist gunner,
S/Sgt Lewis W. Priegel, tail gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-25-VE Fying Fortress in Oldenburg: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1943 at 0957 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-5815
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Polebrook - Polebrook
MSN:
17-6111
YOM:
1943
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Polebrook on a mission to the submarine yards at Bremen. Over Germany, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Oldenburg. Three crew members were killed and seven others became PoW.
Those killed were:
2nd Lt Charles Noetzel,
S/Sgt Edward H. Berry,
Sgt Roy Johnson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Teglingen

Date & Time: Jun 13, 1943 at 0206 LT
Operator:
Registration:
DT616
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 2300LT on June 12 on an operation to Bochum. Passing Meppen, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Teglingen. All seven crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Bertram Denis Kirkham, pilot,
Sgt Robert James Hamilton, flight engineer,
Sgt Harold Arthur Taylor, navigator,
Sgt Denys Beatty Whittaker, bomb aimer,
Sgt Francis James Callaghan, wireless operator,
Sgt James Albert Mills, air gunner,
Sgt David Lawson Gray, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.