Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Aldeburgh

Date & Time: Jun 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8601
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 2308LT on June 5 on an operation to Essen. While returning to home the following night, it was hit and badly damaged by the German Flak. The pilot was able to ditch the airplane into the North Sea off Aldeburgh, Suffolk. All six crew members were rescued. The airplane sank and was lost.
Crew:
F/O F. Witakowski,
Sgt S. M. Lewkowicz,
F/O F. Lukasik,
Sgt Z. Nogaj,
P/O A. Kulakowski,
Sgt J. Danik.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at RAF Mildenhall: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1942 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AT724
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training exercise at RAF Mildenhall. On approach, the airplane suffered a loss of engine power, stalled and crashed in a field nearby the airbase. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Alfred Neil Yeaman, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Jack Brewer, pilot, †
Sgt E. G. Cook, pilot.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power on approach.

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

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0336 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9325
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 2327LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night, the outer starboard engine lost power and the airplane crashed on final approach. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Charles Brian Ordish, pilot,
Sgt Thornton, flight engineer,
P/O Clifford John Whittingham, navigator,
Sgt Russell Thomas Joshua Collett, wireless operator,
Sgt Peter Frederick Inman, wireless operator,
Sgt W. M. Thompson, air gunner,
Sgt G. W. Findlay, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on the outer starboard engine on final approach to base.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Berner's Heath

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3387
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 2315LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. En route to Germany, the crew encountered technical problems with the left engine that lost power due to a lack of oil pressure. The crew decided to return but was eventually forced to attempt an emergency landing when the airplane crash landed in a pasture located at Berner's Heath, some 7 km southeast of RAF Lakenheath. The airplane was destroyed and all five crew members escaped with minor injuries.
Crew:
P/O Bert Ravenhill, pilot,
Sgt H. W. Bond,
Sgt R. E. Osborne,
F/O Taylor,
Sgt R. W. Yapp.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine due to a lack of oil pressure.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Stanton: 9 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1942 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2802
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a fighter affiliation exercise out from RAF Newmarket, carrying nine crew members, among them one member of the Royal Artillery. En route, the airplane suffered a structural failure, entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in Stanton. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Michael Andean Coote, pilot,
Sgt Robert Samuel Holden, wireless operator,
F/Sgt John George Ypres Boyle, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Albert Adderly, air gunner,
AC1 William Gilchrist Boyce,
AC1 John Capp,
Lac Alfred William Hughes,
Cdt Bryon Vernon Long,
Cdt Donald Roderick White.
Probable cause:
The starboard main spar assembly failed outboard from the engine, causing a loss of control.

Crash of a Dornier DO.217E-4 off Lowestoft: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1942 at 1705 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
U5+BL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Gilze-Rijen - Gilze-Rijen
MSN:
5373
YOM:
1942
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by a British fighter and crashed into the sea some 30 km east of Lowestoft. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ofw K. Fischer, pilot,
Cpt H. Schmidt-Hederich, observer,
Uffz H. Hartmann, radio operator,
Ofw G. Höhenrieder, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Eyke: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1942 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6523
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
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 Eyke. The pilot was killed and both other occupants were injured. The wireless operator died from injuries sustained on June 2, 1942.
Crew:
F/Lt George Raymond Hall, pilot, †
Sgt Stanley Cox, wireless operator, †
P/O W. Howard.

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

Date & Time: May 7, 1942 at 0100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DJ972
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 2220LT on May 6 on an operation to Stuttgart. It was badly shot about by a German fighter. Nevertheless, the crew was able to return to England. After landing, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and was wrecked. There were no injuries.
Crew:
F/O M. A. Brogan,
Sgt R. L. Raphael,
Sgt Morrow,
F/S Spencer,
Sgt D. J. Poynter,
Sgt L. Shearer,
Sgt Rosher.
Probable cause:
Badly shot about by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: May 5, 1942 at 1207 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6092
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training sortie out from RAF Stradishall. During the takeoff roll, the airplane swung and came to rest with a collapsed undercarriage. There were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
P/O C. M. Gasper,
Sgt M. Savage.

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

Date & Time: Apr 23, 1942 at 1650 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R9307
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lakenheath - Lakenheath
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at RAF Lakenheath, the airplane swung and came to rest with its undercarriage collapsed. There were no injuries among the crew and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
P/O Arnold Foster Cheetham, pilot,
Sgt Basil Ernest Smith, flight engineer,
P/O Kenneth William Byron Moodie, observer,
Sgt Morrison, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Victor Carriline, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Bertram Pomeroy, air gunner,
F/Sgt James Arthur Shaw, air gunner.