Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Elvington: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 29, 1942 at 1528 LT
Operator:
Registration:
DT631
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Elvington - Elvington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to base at RAF Elvington following a cross country navigation exercise. On final approach, the airplane crashed for unknown reasons and was destroyed by a post crash fire. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Orr, pilot,
Sgt Alexander David Boyle, flight engineer,
P/O Cyril Arthur Saunders, navigator,
Sgt James Casey, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Douglas Charles Godfrey, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert Victor Green, air gunner,
P/O John MaClennan, bomb aimer.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4312
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local test flight at RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor. After landing in poor visibility, the airplane overran and crashed into trees. All occupants escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt J. H. Gillmeere +5.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I at RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1942 at 0840 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R5482
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor - Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor when it crashed while trying to land in poor visibility. There were no fatalities.
Crew:
F/O R. Bowyer, pilot +4.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Melbourne: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1942 at 1428 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W7871
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1428LT on a local training exercise. Immediately after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 300 feet, it went out of control and crashed in an open field located 1,5 km southwest of the airbase. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Gerald Spencer Barrett, pilot,
F/Sgt Edward John Willmott, pilot,
Sgt Derick Arthur Dudley Soggee, flight engineer,
Sgt Alan Frederick Flower, observer,
Sgt Edward Arthur Marchant, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Alfred Brewer, air gunner,
Sgt Douglas Arnold Bellerby, air gunner,
Sgt Frederick Charles Clarke, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Melbourne

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1942 at 1950 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W7867
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Melbourne - Melbourne
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Melbourne at 1718LT on an operation to Genoa. At 1804LT, the port outer engine failed and the crew turned for home, jettisoning the bomb load at 1848LT over the sea off Skegness. Upon landing at RAF Melbourne at 1950LT, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane caught fire. All seven crew members escaped with various injuries.
Crew:
F/Sgt L. J. Hampton, pilot,
Sgt C. Quine,
Sgt D. Murch,
Sgt B. T. B. Brown,
P/O R. Fell,
Sgt F. J. Clarke,
Sgt F. Shaw.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in High Hunsley: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1942 at 0940 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BJ958
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Elsham Wolds - Dishforth
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was on a transit flight from RAF Elsham Wolds to RAF Dishforth when it crashed in unknown circumstances in High Hunsley, southwest of Beverley. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Wilbert Francis Bauer, pilot,
F/Sgt Joseph Philippe Bedard, observer,
F/Sgt Joseph Marc Seguin, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Joseph Ludovic Rodolphe Simoneau, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Joseph Paul Albert Boyer, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1942 at 0331 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W1181
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1824LT on October 23 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night, it diverted to RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor. After landing, it ran into another Halifax from the Squadron, which had burst a tyre and was unable to clear the runway. All wight occupants escaped with various injuries.
Crew:
F/Sgt J. L. Berry, pilot,
W/O Cranwell,
P/O E. W. Hargreaves,
Sgt D. Hubbard,
Sgt J. W. Crouch,
Sgt R. J. Horton,
Sgt W. E. Pattison,
F/Sgt J. B. Bell, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II at RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1942 at 0330 LT
Operator:
Registration:
DT512
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1814LT on October 23 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night, it diverted to RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor. After landing, a tyre burst and the airplane came to rest on the runway, bursting into flames. Two crew members were killed and two others were injured. The airplane was hit shortly later by another Halifax landing on the same runway.
Crew:
W/Cdr Sydney Bruce Bintley, pilot, †
G/C E. J. Corbally,
Sgt K. White,
F/Sgt J. A. T. Simpson,
F/O V. B. Davies,
Sgt R. P. Long,
F/Lt Arthur James Graham, air gunner,
F/Sgt G. Richmond, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
A tyre burst on landing.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Wigginton

Date & Time: Oct 16, 1942 at 1500 LT
Operator:
Registration:
W1038
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
East Moor - East Moor
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Moor at 1500LT on a cross country navigation exercise. After takeoff, while climbing to an altitude of about 800 feet, the pilot initiated a left turn when the port outer engine began to vibrate excessively. The airplane began to lose height so the pilot attempted an emergency landing. The airplane crash landed in an open field located just behind the Black Horse Inn at Wigginton, bursting into flames. All eight crew members were rescued, among them six were injured. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
Sgt John Bartlett, pilot,
Sgt James Thorogood, flight engineer,
P/O Philip Richmond Burt, navigator,
P/O Wilmer Frederick West, navigator,
Sgt Ian Urquart McLauchlan, bomb aimer,
Sgt Arthur Noel Dymond, wireless operator,
Sgt William Edward George Durnell, air gunner,
Sgt Philip Thurston Wallis, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The pitch operating system on the propeller of the port outer engine failed after takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Helmsley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 14, 1942 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4233
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston at 1915LT on October 13 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, it crashed in unknown circumstances in hilly terrain about 18 km north of Helsmley. Three crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Henry Ernest Game, pilot, †
F/O Leonard Charles Robert Leach, observer, †
Sgt H. Scattergood,
Sgt L. S. Hamblett,
Sgt E. C. Hawkins,
Sgt Ronald Court, wireless operator, †
Sgt E. T. Lund, air gunner.