Country
France
code

Somme

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-65-BO Flying Fortress in Allery: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 1637 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-29642
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn
MSN:
4756
YOM:
1942
Location:
Allery
Somme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bassingbourn on an operation to a Potez Aircraft Factory near Amiens. After crossing the French coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Allery, 16 km south of Abbeville. Eight crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
1st Lt Lawrence J. Stark, pilot, †
1st Lt John T. Evins, copilot, †
T/Sgt Tom W. Bagwell, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Walter H. Sypherd Jr., navigator, †
1st Lt Neill E. Oakley, observer, †
T/Sgt Wallace Lyle Mooney, radio operator,
2nd Lt Arthur H. Nicholls, bombardier, †
S/Sgt John J. Arihood, air gunner, †
Sgt Robert H. Reynolds, air gunner, †
Sgt Richard K. Wirt, air gunner, †
Sgt Edward Marion Brummal, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-50-BO Flying Fortress in Méaulte: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-5406
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bassingbourn - Bassingbourn
MSN:
3945
YOM:
1942
Location:
Méaulte
Somme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bassingbourn on an operation to a Potez Aircraft Factory near Amiens. Over the target area, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Méaulte. Six crew members were killed, three became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
1st Lt Homer C. Biggs Jr., pilot, †
2nd Lt Theodore O. Hayes, copilot, †
T/Sgt John J. Williams, flight engineer, †
1st Lt William H. Blakeney, navigator,
T/Sgt Paul L. O'Brien, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Douglas Charles Hoehn, bombardier,
Sgt James B. Roden, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Enio J. Valerio, air gunner, †
Sgt Anthony J. Denefrio, air gunner,
S/Sgt James J. Cronk, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I in Abbeville: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
AE913
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oulton - Oulton
MSN:
4256
YOM:
1942
Location:
Abbeville
Somme
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 Oulton at 1058LT to bomb the marshalling yards in Abbeville. It was shot down by a German fighter while leaving the target area and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Gerald Lambert Hicks, pilot,
F/Sgt Frederick James Bowles, navigator,
F/Sgt Ronald Watson, radio operator,
F/Sgt Frank Taylor, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I near Abbeville: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
AE743
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oulton - Oulton
MSN:
4086
YOM:
1942
Location:
Abbeville
Somme
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 Oulton at 1057LT to bomb the marshalling yards in Abbeville. It was shot down by a German fighter while leaving the target area and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Geoffrey Brian Chippendale, pilot,
F/Sgt Harry Hudson, navigator,
P/O Arthur William Richmond, radio operator,
Sgt James Neil Kelsall, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura I near Abbeville: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Operator:
Registration:
AE692
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oulton - Oulton
MSN:
4035
YOM:
1942
Location:
Abbeville
Somme
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 Oulton at 1058LT to bomb the marshalling yards in Abbeville. It was shot down by a German fighter while leaving the target area and crashed. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald Herbert Wells, pilot,
P/O Frederick James Mackenzie Ashdown, navigator,
P/O William Alex Lyttle, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Dalton James Kenneth Wallace, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0456 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED441
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fiskerton - Fiskerton
Location:
Amiens
Somme
Country:
France
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 2111LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. The following morning, while returning to base, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Amiens. Six crew members were killed and the air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt David Trevor Penry, pilot, †
Sgt Charles Glendinning Bamford, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Alan Norris Dixon, navigator, †
Sgt Charles Lawrence James, bomb aimer, †
Sgt Thomas Charles Robertson, wireless operator, †
Sgt James Frederick Fletcher, air gunner, †
Sgt H. W. G. Kerr, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Eppeville: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0436 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
HR784
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Snaith - Snaith
Location:
Eppeville
Somme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Snaith at 2042LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Eppeville. Six crew members were killed and the navigator survived and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Ronald Henry Stewart, pilot, †
P/O William Robert McBriar, flight engineer, †
W/O William Reid Keirnan, navigator,
F/Sgt Dennis Axtell, wireless operator, †
F/O Thomas Collis Robinson, wireless operator, †
Sgt Donald Harold Reid, air gunner, †
P/O Frank Malcolm Thompson, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943 at 0219 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
JB870
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Goyencourt
Somme
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 Linton-on-Ouse at 2115LT on April 16 on an operation to Plzeň. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Goyencourt, killing all seven crew members.
Crew:
Sgt William Illingworth, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Woodhall, flight engineer,
Sgt Clifford George West, navigator,
F/O Herbert Donald Dixon, bomb aimer,
Sgt Edwin Gordon Thomas, wireless operator,
Sgt Sydney William Patton, air gunner,
Sgt David Aubrey Watkins, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Poix-de-Picardie: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED780
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bottesford - Bottesford
Location:
Poix-de-Picardie
Somme
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 Bottesford at 2133LT on April 16 on an operation to thew Škoda factory in Plzeň. While returning to base the following night, it crashed in unknown circumstances in Poix-de-Picardie, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Raymond Clarence Stuart, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Martin, flight engineer,
Sgt Albert Frederick McDonald, observer,
F/O Brian Robert McNair, navigator,
Sgt Ronald Claude Anderson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Peter Leonard Boase, air gunner,
Sgt Ronald Joseph Johnson, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X off Cayeux-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE862
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Kirmington - Kirmington
Location:
Cayeux-sur-Mer
Somme
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Kirmington at 2119LT on April 16 on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base the following night, it developed engine trouble and was ditched in the sea off Cayeux-sur-Mer. Two crew members were rescued and three others were killed.
Crew:
F/O Selwyn Jaques Lupton, pilot, †
F/O Roderick Alan Lord, navigator,
Sgt John Paul Merton, bomb aimer, †
Sgt William Forster Whitfield, wireless operator, †
F/O Eric George Hadingham, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine trouble in flight.
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