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Northamptonshire

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Duddington: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1942 at 0615 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AD752
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training exercise when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Duddington. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Douglas Bryan, pilot,
Sgt John Charles Bradshaw, wireless operator.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Sibbertoft: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5374
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1732LT on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base in the evening, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Sibbertoft, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Eugeniusz Jerzy Baracz,
F/O Czeslaw S. Golacki,
Sgt Szeregowiec Zdzisław Kurowski,
Cpt Alfons Antoni Szymon Nowak,
Sgt Henryk Rozpara,
P/O Jan Siwiec.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Denton: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1941 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9799
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Harwell - Harwell
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Harwell on a cross-country night training exercise. While cruising southeast of Northampton at an altitude of 800-1,000 feet, the airplane collided with a RAF De Havilland DH.82 registered N6968 and carrying a crew of two. Following the collision, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed between Denton and Paddington. Both aircrafts were destroyed and all 10 occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Charles Edward Beloe, pilot,
Sgt Harry Wright, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Alexander Nesbitt, pilot,
Sgt Herbert Samuel Loader, observer,
Sgt Arthur Gerald Johnston, wireless operator,
Sgt Derek Julius Marcus, wireless operator,
Sgt James Henry Mattingly, wireless operator,
Sgt Sydney George Parrott, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF in Wakerley: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6761
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cranfield - Cranfield
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Cranfield on a night training exercise. For unknown reasons, the airplane crashed in a pasture located a mile southeast of Wakerley. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Colin Tremaine Martyn-Johns, pilot,
Sgt Benjamin Wright, radio operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Grafton Underwood: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1941 at 1005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6004
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Upwood on a training exercise. En route, one of the engine failed and the pilot lost control of the airplane that lost height and crashed nearby RAF Grafton Underwood. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Desmond Thompson, pilot,
Sgt Allan Ian Wilson Fairbairn, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the pilot failed to follow the procedure while changing the fuel selector, causing an engine to stop.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF Chelveston

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1941 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1305
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Upwood - Upwood
MSN:
8588
YOM:
1938
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Upwood on a formation training exercise. When the leader ordered the pilot the formation to break, the pilot became disoriented and attempted a forced landing at the partially built airfield of Chelveston. The airplane was damaged beyond repair and the pilot escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt R. S. Trigg, pilot.
Probable cause:
Pilot got disoriented after leaving the formation.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I Near RAF Croughton

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AE222
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croughton - Croughton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
It is believed that the airplane crashed near RAF Croughton while completing a training exercise. Three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt R. R. Buckley,
Sgt D. V. Markall,
Sgt S. F. W. Phillips,
Sgt A. F. Rawford.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Northampton: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1941 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9922
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1912LT on an operation to Ostend. While returning to base and flying low, it impacted trees and crashed in Preston Deanery, in the east outskirt of Northampton. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured.
Crew:
Sgt William Robert Dil, pilot, †
P/O David Ivor Evans, pilot, †
P/O William Rand Lugar, observer, †
F/Sgt David Gifford Chattell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Frank Denis Rogers, wireless operator, †
Sgt Rawbathan.
Probable cause:
At the time of the accident, the wireless equipment was unserviceable and the pilot had descended in an attempt to establish his position.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Croughton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
P5314
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Croughton - Croughton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training flight at RAF Croughton. On final approach, the airplane was shot down by a JU.88 and crashed south of the airfield. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Nicholaas Petrus Van der Merwe, pilot,
Sgt Derek Alfred John Paine, observer,
Sgt John Howard Ixer, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Leagas, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I at RAF Croughton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1941 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5074
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Croughton - Croughton
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a local night training exercise at RAF Croughton. On approach, it was shot down by a German fighter and crash landed near the airbase. The copilot was killed and four other crew members were injured.
Crew.
F/Sgt Philip Charles Maries, pilot,
P/O Johannes Carolus Bosch, copilot, †
Sgt Ronald Stanley John Hubbard, observer,
Sgt E. A. J. Hook, observer,
Sgt W. Holland, observer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.