Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Portreath

Date & Time: May 5, 1941 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6377
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Portreath - Portreath
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1154LT on an operation to La Pallice, in La Rochelle. Approaching the harbor at low height, it clipped the mast of a ship while attacking a convoy. It crashed at 1500LT on return to base. A crew was injured.
Crew:
Sgt J. A. H. Kirkpatrick,
Sgt J. Burns,
Sgt V. E. White.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Wattisham

Date & Time: May 5, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5620
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wattisham - Wattisham
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Wattisham. The airplane overshot on landing and crashed near the fuel dump. Two crew members were injured and a third was unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt F. Mulford,
Sgt W. McDougall,
P/O D. H. Seale.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV into the Irish Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L8758
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Watton - Watton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine bomber crashed for unknown reasons into the Irish Sea while on a navigational training exercise. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt George Arthur Cole, wireless operator,
Sgt Derek Keith Glass,
Sgt Harry Walter Crouch Norman-Arterton.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Dungeness: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2234
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Manston Airport at 1929LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was hit by the German Flak and crashed 19 miles off Dungeness. The pilot and his observer were seen getting out of the sinking airplane, but despite an extensive search, no trace of the crew was ever found.
Crew:
Sgt John Francis Chell,
Sgt Clarence Hubert Deane,
Sgt George Derryck Watkinson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T1825
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Manston Airport at 1929LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching Boulogne-sur-Mer, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Charles Desmond Brown,
P/O Cecil Harry Farvis,
Sgt Arthur John Morgan.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Den Helder: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1941 at 1815 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6177
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Norwich - Norwich
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Horsham St Faith at 1539LT on an anti-shipping operation. While approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Den Helder. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Igor William Braye,
Sgt John Hutchison,
F/Sgt Kenneth Charles Peek.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Halesworth

Date & Time: May 1, 1941 at 1420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5823
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Swanton Morley - Swanton Morley
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swanton Morley at 1215LT on an anti-shipping operation. Badly shot about by Me.109 and later a propeller fell off, causing the crew to make an emergency landing in a field at Buck's Farm, southwest of Halesworth. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Lt G. E. Goode,
P/O F. J. Hogan,
Sgt G. Rowland.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF at RAF Church Fenton: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 1, 1941 at 0040 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6786
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Church Fenton - Church Fenton
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was engaged in a local solo training flight at RAF Church Fenton. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane suffered an engine failure, stalled and crashed half a mile east of the airbase. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
P/O Leslie Frederick Charles Mayer, pilot.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the engine failed because of plug trouble caused by too much idling before taking off.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Hillington: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1941 at 1052 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6389
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Bircham Newton on a training exercise. While flying northeast of King's Lynn, the pilot lost control of then airplane that dove into the ground and crashed in Hillington. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Hugh John Norman Lindsaye, pilot,
Sgt Albert Ernest Stone, observer,
F/O Frank Holmes, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The drogue had separated from its cable and had fouled the port elevator and trim tad, causing the aircraft to become uncontrollable.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Hoek van Holland: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1941 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5853
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Watton - Watton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Watton at 0530LT on an anti-shipping mission. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Hoek van Holland. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Maurice Stafford Dewing, pilot,
Sgt William Herbert Roland Smale, observer,
Sgt Harry Nathan, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.