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France
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Nord

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Lille

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1941 at 0312 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
W5703
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Location:
Lille
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 2235LT on August 26 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night, the crew sent a mayday message at 0207LT indicating engine trouble on leaving the target area. Last heard at 0312LT then crashed in the vicinity of Lille. All six crew members were rescued, three became PoW and three evaded.
crew:
S/L Harry Emlyn Bufton,
Sgt Samuel Murray,
Sgt John Thomas Stickles,
Sgt Roger Plyer Wright,
Sgt W. F. Crampton,
Sgt K. B. Read.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Gravelines: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5854
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Gravelines
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the French coast and while leading an attack on a convoy, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Gravelines. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Martin Walter Waddington, pilot,
F/Sgt Ian Newton Forsyth, observer,
F/Sgt Donald Palmer, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Dunkirk

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
T4158
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
MSN:
1851
YOM:
1940
Location:
Dunkirk
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George in the evening of August 6 on an operation to Frankfurt. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some 12 km off Dunkirk. All five crew members were rescued by HSL145 from Dover.
Crew:
Sgt J. Bell,
P/O I. A. N. Atchinson,
Sgt R. J. Harwood,
Sgt C. B. McMullan,
Sgt H. E. G. Elliott.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Esnes: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 31, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE252
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Location:
Esnes
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham in the evening of July 30 on an operation to Cologne. Passing over France, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Esnes. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Gordon Harvey, pilot,
Sgt James Graham Rogers, navigator,
Sgt Robert Brown Chrisp, wireless operator,
Sgt Ronald Walter Smale, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Killem: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6018
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Killem
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on an operation to Lille. While trying to bomb a secondary target at Dunkirk, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Killem. Six crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Thomas William Piper, pilot,
Sgt Dennis Herbert Jeeves, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie Osborn Orchard, flight engineer, †
P/O Arnold Hipps, observer, †
Sgt Percy Henry Eve, wireless operator, †
Sgt Sidney Norman Symondson, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Gordon Armstrong,
P/O Jack Reginald Bushell, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Gravelines

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5595
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Gravelines
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Manston at 1115LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Gravelines. All three crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Rupert Matland Kemp, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Albert Goold, observer,
Sgt Frederick Jack Soal, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Gravelines: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7450
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Detling - Detling
Location:
Gravelines
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Detling at 1503LT on operation 'Strike'. Approaching Dunkirk, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Gravelines. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Lionel Aitken, pilot,
F/Sgt George Thomas Wood, observer,
Sgt John Henry Brown, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Gravelines: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1941 at 1513 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6365
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Gravelines
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham to bomb a chemical plant at Choques. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Gravelines. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Smith, pilot, †
F/Sgt William Ronald Mathias, wireless operator, †
Sgt F. J. Hynes.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Merville:; 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z7440
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Merville
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 1120LT to bomb a power station at Lille. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Merville, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt James William Stanley, pilot,
F/Sgt Denis Arthur Huntley, observer,
F/Sgt Laurence Henry Wood Smith, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Merville: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6085
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Location:
Merville
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 1120LT to bomb a power station at Lille. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Merville. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Roland Carvell, pilot,
Sgt Alexander Richard Batch, observer, †
F/Sgt James Timothy Melvin, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
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