Country
France
code

Morbihan

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

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3870
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Blyton - Blyton
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Blyton at 1730LT on an operation to Lorient. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the target area, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O John Morling Bell, pilot,
F/Sgt Harold Eunson Woodruff, navigator,
F/Sgt Elwyn Knowles Jones, observer,
F/O Robert Joseph Keyes, radio operator,
F/Lt Arthur Cowie, air gunner,
Sgt George Easey, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III near Plouay: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BK166
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
East Wretham - East Wretham
Location:
Plouay
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1726LT on an operation to Lorient. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Plouay and was destroyed. Four crew members were killed and one became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Gilmour Rait, pilot, †
F/O William Matthew Currie, navigator, †
Sgt Leonard Thomas Hooper, radio operator,
F/O Desmond James Rose, observer, †
Sgt Sydney John Gray, air gunner. †

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Plouay: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
R9316
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Location:
Plouay
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newmarket at 1753LT on an operation to Lorient. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and abandoned by the crew before crashing in Plouay. Two crew members were killed, one evaded and four became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Roy Arthur Williams, pilot, †
Sgt Kenneth Gudmunsen, mechanic,
F/Sgt Donald Elgin Browne, navigator,
Sgt T. H. Smith, radio operator,
Sgt Harry Sawyer, bomb aimer,
Sgt Leonard R. Willis, air gunner,
P/O Dudley Harding-Smith, air gunner. †

Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III off Lorient: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED484
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe on an operation to Lorient. Approaching the target area, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Lt Evan Arthur Davies, pilot,
Sgt Donald Robert Bishop, mechanic,
W/O John Howard Bailey, navigator,
F/Sgt John Herbert McCarthy, radio operator,
F/O Maurice James Steward, observer,
F/Sgt William James Hogg, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Lloyd Harvey Peterson, air gunner,
F/Sgt Keith Jonathan Hodgson, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Lorient: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1943 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4832
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
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 at 1802LT on an operation to Lorient. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Lorient. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Desmond Skinner, pilot,
Sgt John Hunter, mechanic,
Sgt Harold Theodore Waddell, navigator,
Sgt Alan Knight, radio operator,
Sgt George Taylor Vincent, bomb aimer,
Sgt Arthur Howells, air gunner,
F/Sgt Raymond Walton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR655
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1908LT on an operation to Lorient. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the target area. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Dean William Smith, pilot,
Sgt Douglas Matthew Brackenridge, mechanic,
F/Sgt William Harris Cowman, radio operator,
F/Sgt Joseph Fisher Sayers, observer,
Sgt Reginald James Salt, observer,
W/O William Herbert Lough, observer,
F/Sgt Joseph Emery Giguere, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
BK507
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Ingham - Ingham
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane the departed RAF Ingham on an operation to Lorient. Over the target area, it crashed for unknown reasons, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Lt Kenneth Powell, pilot,
Sgt Anthony Edward Keeton, pilot,
Sgt Morris John Norgate, navigator,
F/Sgt Charles Barry Sullivan, radio operator,
Sgt David Coventry Pennycook, bomb aimer,
Sgt Ronald Valentine Baker, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3544
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Kirmington - Kirmington
Location:
Lanester
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Kirmington on an operation to Lorient. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Lanester, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice Freeman Clements, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Williams Edwards, navigator,
Sgt Charles Arthur Pitt, radio operator,
Sgt Alfred Brian Burgess, bomb aimer,
Sgt Donald Jack Smith, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Lanester: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT701
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Rufforth - Rufforth
Location:
Lanester
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Rufforth at 1901LT on an operation to Lorient. Approaching the target area, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Lanester, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Peter Leslie Beesley, pilot,
Sgt George William Whiles, pilot,
Sgt Ralph Lewis, mechanic,
Sgt Eric Brindle, navigator,
Sgt Frederick George Carr, radio operator,
Sgt Leonard Bygrave, bomb aimer,
Sgt Kenneth Bowley, air gunner,
Sgt Edwin Francis Cowper, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED359
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 1912LT on an operation to Lorient. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the target area, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Herbert Dalton Lewis, pilot,
Sgt Charles Frederick Abraham, mechanic,
F/O Kenneth Llewellyn Morgan, navigator,
Sgt George Edward Young, radio operator,
Sgt Howard Llewellyn Williams, bomb aimer,
Sgt Alfred Raymond Parker, air gunner,
Sgt John Brown Hillhouse, air gunner.
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