Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Colney Heath: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7575
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wigsley - Wigsley
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While performing a training sortie from RAF Wigsley, the aircraft went out of control, partially disintegrated in the air and crashed in a field located in Colney Heath. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (1654th CU):
P/O Ewan Moore Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Albert Rooks, flight engineer,
F/O Eric Williams, navigator,
Sgt John Fisher Thwaite, bomb aimer,
Sgt Henry Thomas Green, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Edward Percy Stock, air gunner,
F/Sgt George Bruce Davies, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It is possible the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by friendly fire.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Den Ham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JB144
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Coningsby in the early morning on a bombing mission to Dortmund. While approaching the target by night, the crew did not realize he was flying too low. The bomber hit tree tops, damaging both left engines and the rudder as well. The captain decided to return to his base but was unable to gain altitude. The crew jettisoned the bomb and the aircraft could gain 1,400 feet, which was insufficient. Eventually, the captain ordered his crew to bail out and attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft went out of control and crashed near Den Ham. While the captain was killed, all other occupants were found alive.
Crew (617th Squadron):
F/Lt L. G.Knight, pilot, †
P/O R. E. Greyson,
F/O H. S. Hobday,
P/O R. G. T. Kellow,
F/O E. C. Johnson,
F/Sgt F. E. Sutherland,
Sgt J. Woolard,
F/Sgt H. E. O'Brien.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Osnabrück: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA874
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Coningsby in the early morning on a bombing mission to Dortmund, Germany. While approaching the target by night, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
F/L M. W. G. Divall,
Sgt F. C. A. Blake,
F/G D. R. Warwick,
F/Sgt J. Simpson,
F/Sgt R. McArthur,
Sgt A. Williams,
Sgt G. A. Miles,
Sgt D. Allatson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Dortmund: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA848
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Coningsby in the early morning on a bombing mission to Dortmund, Germany, on behalf of the 617th Squadron. While approaching his target by night, the crew did not realize his altitude was too low. Thew bomber hit the ground and crashed, killing all crew members.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Bergeshövede: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EE130
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Coningsby at 0001LT on a bombing mission to Dortmund, Germany. While flying east of Rheine by night, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing all eight crew members.
Crew (617th Squadron):
F/L R. A. P Allesbrook,
F/Sgt P. Moore,
P/O N. A. Botting,
F/O J. M. Grant,
F/Sgt R. B. S. Lulham,
Sgt A. G. Jones,
F/Sgt W. Walker,
F/Sgt S. Hitchen.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Nordhorn: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EE144
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Coningsby in the evening of September 14 on a bombing mission to Dortmund, Germany. While overflying Nordhorn by night and at very low height, the crew realized the presence of a church and decided to increase his altitude. Shortly later, the bomber was hit by the German Flak and the right fuel tank was struck. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames, killing all eight crewmen.
Crew (617th Squadron):
S/L G. W. Holden, pilot,
Sgt D. J. D. Powell,
F/Lt T. H. Taerum,
F/Lt R. E. G. Hutchinson,
P/O G. A. Deering,
F/O Frederick Michael Spafford,
F/O H. J. Pringle,
P/O T. A. Meikle.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Ashley Walk

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JA894
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While performing tactical maneuvers during a training sortie, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Ashley Walk, north of Amesbury. All six crew members were injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Crew from the 617th Squadron.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III off Terschelling: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EE169
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Grimsby - Grimsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The bomber left RAF Grimsby at 2244LT on a bombing mission to Hamburg. While approaching the Dutch coast, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea some 10 km off Terschelling. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (100th Squadron):
F/Sgt J. Lynch 6.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Mt Grammont: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1943 at 0035 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED412
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Langar - Langar
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Langar at 2236LT on a bombing mission to Torino. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 18,000 feet, the crew encountered stormy weather and decided to reduce his altitude and to reroute. In poor visibility, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Le Grammont located southwest of Le Bouveret. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (207th Squadron):
P/O Horace Badge, pilot,
Sgt Robert Wood, flight engineer,
F/S Ronald Oswald Charles Brett, air gunner,
Sgt James Arthur Spence, air gunner,
Sgt Edward Higgins, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Charles Wright, observer,
F/Lt Arthur Charles Jepps, navigator.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Wijk aan Zee: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0251 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED373
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ludford Magna - Ludford Magna
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Ludford Magna in the evening of June 25 on a bombing mission to Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Following an uneventful mission, while returning to its base and overflying The Netherlands by night with one engine inoperative, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. Out of control, the aircraft crashed into the sea less than one mile off the Dutch coast. A crew member was taken PoW while all six other occupant were killed.
Crew (101st Squadron):
F/Sgt Ivan William Banks, pilot, †
Sgt Norman Stanley Mould, flight engineer, †
Sgt Harold James Toze, navigator, †
Sgt T. G. Brook, air bomber,
Sgt John Henry William Snowdon, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Geoffrey Victor Branson, air gunner, †
Sgt Ronald Pugh, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.