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Norfolk

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

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1943 at 1905 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR832
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Clenchwarton
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While engaged on a routine cross country exercise, the crew encountered a severe electrical storm and before flying into clear weather, the bomber was struck by lightning. This was followed by turbulence and the Halifax began to break up, crashing at 1905LT at Clifton Farm, Clenchwarton. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Christopher Daniel Lawson, pilot,
Sgt Malcolm Keith Holliday, flight engineer,
F/O Roland Ernest Garnault Agassiz, navigator,
Sgt Arthur Faulkner, wireless operator,
F/O Lawrence William Arthur Frewin, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Clinton Landis Pudney,
F/O Walter Cecil Davies, air gunner.
Probable cause:
In-flight breakup after being struck by lightning.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Stanhoe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1943 at 0219 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
MS486
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leconfield - Leconfield
Location:
Stanhoe
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leconfield at 2304LT on June 11 on an operation to Düsseldorf. While returning to base the following night, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Stanhoe, 4 km east of Docking. Two crew were killed and three others were injured.
Crew:
F/O Frank Whitford Jackson, pilot, †
F/O Ronald Percy Lea, navigator, †
Sgt J. S. Atherton,
Sgt S. H. Mortimer,
Sgt I. P. Prothero, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Sheringham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 12, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT742
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Sheringham
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2325LT on June 11 on an operation to Düsseldorf. Homebound, it was hit by anti-aircraft fire from a British convoy in the North Sea and ditched about 16 km northeast of Sheringham. A crew was killed, one was injured and five others were rescued.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. H. Collins, pilot,
Sgt E. Toole,
Sgt D. L. Green,
Sgt H. H. Parker,
Sgt Philip George Spreckly, wireless operator, †
Sgt B. S. Uppington,
F/Sgt K. R. Brook, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Mistakenly shot down by a British convoy.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near RAF Downham Market

Date & Time: May 31, 1943 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
EF365
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Downha
Location:
Downham Market AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While engaged in a local test flight out from RAF Downham Market, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed near the airbase. All seven crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
P/O D. R. Rich, pilot,
Sgt H. Hill,
Sgt F. Fawcett,
Sgt B. Kermonde,
Sgt A. J. Hall,
Sgt J. S. McDonald,
Sgt S. H. Burrows.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster II at RAF East Wretham: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 30, 1943 at 0340 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
DS616
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
East Wretham - East Wretham
Location:
East Wretham AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 2350LT on May 29 on an operation to Wuppertal. It was very badly shot about by a German fighter whose fire damaged the port outer engine, port rudder and fuselage. During the engagement, the air gunner was killed. The airplane was able to return to base where it crashed upon landing the following night. All other six crew members survived.
Crew:
F/O J. F. Andrews, pilot,
F/Sgt T. C. Wellock,
P/O E. B. Pidgeon,
Sgt W. Reid,
Sgt C. Skripsy,
Sgt W. Mitchell,
Sgt John James Glazzard, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell II off Wells-next-the-Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1943
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
FL696
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
82-5339
YOM:
1941
Location:
Wells-next-the-Sea
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While carrying out air firing out Wells-next-the-Sea, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James Kenneth Fulton, pilot,
F/O Hugh Manson Wygle, navigator,
F/Sgt Raymond Earl Manser, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Clarence Gerald Kernaghan, air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Shipdham

Date & Time: May 25, 1943 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
BK626
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Location:
Shipdham AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Ridgewell at 1015LT on an Air Sea Rescue Operation. It crash landed at 1300LT at RAF Shipdham due to loss of power from three engines. No serious injuries reported.
Crew:
Sgt D. A. MacInnes, pilot,
Sgt F. Sanders,
Sgt A. R. Clarke,
Sgt W. G. Dickson,
Sgt E. Cautherley,
Sgt J. H. Nolan,
Sgt J. C. Fenton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on three engines.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Worstead

Date & Time: May 24, 1943 at 0250 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED775
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Location:
Worstead
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor at 2230LT on May 23 on an operation to Dortmund. While returning to base the following night, one of the engine caught fire. The captain decided to divert to RAF Coltishall for an emergency landing but the airplane crash landed on approach in Worstead, 3 km northeast of the airbase. A crew was injured.
Crew:
Sgt F. J. Fry, pilot,
Sgt S. Beedle,
Sgt G. E. Leedham,
Sgt D. H. G. Bond,
Sgt G. W. F. Batchelor,
Sgt J. P. O'Regan,
Sgt D. A. Stevenson.
Probable cause:
An engine caught fire in flight.

Crash of a North American B-25C Mitchell near RAF Foulsham

Date & Time: May 16, 1943 at 1850 LT
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
FL207
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Foulsham - Foulsham
MSN:
82-5284
YOM:
1941
Location:
Foulsham
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Foulsham at 1600LT to attack the airport of Caen. It was hit by the German Flak and on return to base, the pilot was forced to initiate a go around. While climbing to a height of 500 feet, both engines failed. The airplane stalled and crashed in an open field located northeast of the airbase. All four crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. A. Hole, pilot,
F/Sgt T. F. Rothery,
Sgt W. G. Short,
Sgt H. G. Todd.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure during a go around procedure.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Winterton-on-Sea

Date & Time: May 14, 1943 at 0530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HZ271
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Leconfield - Leconfield
Location:
Winterton-on-Sea
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leconfield at 2353LT on May 13 on an operation to Bochum. While returning to base the following morning, it was abandoned by the crew and crashed 1,5 km northwest of Winterton-on-Sea. All five crew members parachuted to safety.
Crew:
Sgt E. F. Hicks, pilot,
F/O R. F. Clayton,
F/Sgt H. L. Fyfe,
Sgt F. C. Blair,
Sgt S. Robbins, air gunner.
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