Country
Germany
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Lower Saxony

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Eilvese: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943 at 0312 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED469
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fiskerton - Fiskerton
Location:
Eilvese
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Fiskerton at 2145LT on March 29 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eilvese, 29 km northwest of Hanover. Six crew members were killed and an air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
F/O George Floyd Mabee, pilot, †
Sgt James Arthur Cross, flight engineer, †
Sgt Walter Carr, navigator, †
Sgt Reginald William Brown, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Alexander Stewart McLaren, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Gillian Jewell, air gunner, †
Sgt G. A. Jones, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1943 at 2228 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4322
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Location:
Hanover-Langenhagen
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor on an operation to Berlin. Approaching Hanover, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Langenhagen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt William Bell, pilot,
Sgt George Edward Moore, flight engineer,
P/O Frank Prosperine, navigator,
Sgt George Wilson, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Shields Priestley, wireless operator,
Sgt Patrick John Edwards, air gunner,
W/O Richard Wilfred Gerald Hogan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II near Stadthagen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1943 at 2145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W7907
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Stadthagen
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Graveley at 1950LT on an operation to Berlin. Approaching Hanover, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Habichhorst, in the east suburb of Stadthagen. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Harl J. Espy, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Albert Henry Thomas, flight engineer,
Sgt George Charles Dynes, navigator,
F/O James Hubert Naylor, navigator,
Sgt Reginald Charles Smith, wireless operator,
Sgt George Harold Yeates, air gunner,
Sgt Charles Pattison, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Melchiorshausen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1943 at 2138 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BF317
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Melchiorshausen
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1940LT on an operation to Berlin. Passing south of Bremen, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Melchiorshausen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Martin Lord, pilot,
Sgt Leonard Nash, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Daniel Wellington, navigator,
P/O Thomas Henry Brown, bomb aimer,
Sgt Norman Young, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert McKerrell, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Russell Oliver, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-20-CO Liberator off Baltrum Island: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-24191
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
986
YOM:
1942
Location:
Baltrum Island
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Shipdham on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While cruising along the east Frisian Islands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Baltrum Island. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Virgil R. Fouts, pilot,
2nd Lt Frank Navas, copilot,
2nd Lt Robert H. Seaman, navigator,
1st Lt Joseph L. Brenner, bombardier,
S/Sgt Maurice H. Dobbins, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Richard K. Nordquist, assistant flight engineer,
S/Sgt Kenneth A. Klose, radio operator,
T/Sgt Eldo A. Russell, assistant radio operator,
S/Sgt Esward W. Lindau, air gunner,
S/Sgt Jerry H. Wieser, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-1-CO Liberator in Nord-Moslesfehn: 9 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943 at 1537 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
41-23666
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Hardwick - Hardwick
MSN:
461
YOM:
1941
Location:
Nord-Moslesfehn
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hardwick on an operation to Bremen. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Nord-Moslesfehn. Nine crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Neil E. Stevens,
1st Lt Howard E. Kleinstuber,
2nd Lt Robert B. Ward,
2nd Lt Ralph L. Hanson,
S/Sgt Raymond E. Bell,
S/Sgt Edwin T. Robinson,
S/Sgt Philip T. Serum Jr.,
Sgt James A. Deshotel,
Sgt John D. Skall.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-25-BO Flying Fortress off Wilhelmshaven: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-24558
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Molesworth - Molesworth
MSN:
3243
YOM:
1942
Location:
Wilhelmshaven
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Molesworth on an operation to Bremen. Over Wilhelmshaven, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea (Jade Bight) off the city. Five crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Charles N. Austin, pilot,
1st Lt Norbert B. Feldman, copilot, †
1st Lt Richard G. White, navigator,
S/Sgt Samuel O. Snipes, flight engineer,
Sgt Bernard A. Gergash, radio operator,
1st Lt Robert A. Coltrane, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Alex Le Blanc, air gunner, †
Sgt Eugene W. Eckard, air gunner,
S/Sgt Delbert Mikkelsen, air gunner, †
Sgt Fred O. Deal, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1943 at 0351 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BK296
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Middleton Saint George - Middleton Saint George
Location:
Norderney
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton Saint George at 0003LT to lay mines off the Frisian Islands. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 8 km north of Norderney Island. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Harrison Tidy, pilot,
P/O John Donald MacFarlane, navigator,
Sgt George Robert Douglas Hall, bomb aimer,
Sgt John Alexander Corbett, air gunner,
Sgt Harold Reddy, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Esens

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1943 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE202
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Burn - Burn
Location:
Esens
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Burn at 1813LT to lay mines off the Frisian Islands. It was shot down by a German fighter and crash landed in an open field located in Esens. All five occupants survived and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Derek Cecil Pitts, pilot,
Sgt Robert McHugh,
Sgt Basil Gunn Peart,
P/O Kenneth David Tutton,
Sgt Dewielwyn Hubert Dyer, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Lamstedt: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 3, 1943 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
Z1620
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
East Wretham - East Wretham
Location:
Lamstedt
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1845LT on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Lamstedt, about 60 km west of Hamburg. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt David Douglas Laidlaw, pilot,
Sgt Eric Holdsworth, observer,
F/Sgt Colin Ray Bird, navigator,
Sgt Percival Harold Luscombe, wireless operator,
Sgt Henry Joseph Fitzgerald Gell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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