Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Sechtem: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
L4172
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While on a night bombing mission over Cologne, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Sechtem. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt A. E. Jones, pilot,
Sgt John Alexander Smyth, pilot, †
Sgt Colin Woodhouse , observer, †
Cpl Thomas Baybutt, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 25, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
P1318
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the North Sea off the Belgian Coast. All four crew members were presumed dead as no trace of the airplane was ever found.
Crew:
P/O John Keith Bennett, pilot,
F/O Peter Saumarez Butler, pilot,
Sgt John Harrison, observer,
LAC George R. J. Parsons, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Coventry: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
P1336
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training mission when the airplane collided with the Coventry balloon barrage and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Melville Dundas Irvine, pilot,
Sgt John Raymond Collingham, observer,
AC1 Sydney Ewbank Firth, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Loss of control following an in-flight collision with a barrage balloon.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Broichweiden: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
L4171
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed RAF Waddington on a communication mission over Germany. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Aachen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Charles Edward Johnson, pilot,
P/O David Conquest Barker, pilot,
Sgt Harold George Collins, observer,
Cpl William Crook, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I on Black Hill: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1940 at 0400 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L4055
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Following a bombing mission over Mönchengladbach, the crew was returning to his base at RAF Scampton. At night, the pilot encountered poor visibility due to fog when the airplane impacted the slope of Black Hill located about 4 miles south of Holmfirth, West Yorkshire. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Stanley William Jenkins, pilot,
Sgt Peter William Josse, navigator,
Sgt Alan Marsh, observer,
AC1 Willie Thornton, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Rainham: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1940 at 0345 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L4067
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While flying over the Krefeld area, the aircraft was hot by the German Flak. Three crew members bailed out and landed in Germany. One of them was shot on ground. The pilot continued to England and eventually bailed out before the aircraft crashed in Rainham.
Crew:
P/O E. H. Coton, pilot,
P/O H. O. Jones,
Sgt Cyril J. Shewry, observer, †
Cpl W. G. Smith.
Probable cause:
Hit by Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Newton

Date & Time: May 18, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
L4059
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newton - Newton
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Overshot and crashed at RAF Newton while completing a local training flight. The pilot was uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Prichard.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden in Louth: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1940 at 0210 LT
Operator:
Registration:
L4069
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2229LT on May 14 on a bombing mission over the Ruhr Valley. It crashed in unknown circumstances at 0210LT in Louth, Lincolnshire, after responding correctly to an antiaircraft battery challenge. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Neville Johnson, pilot,
P/O Edward Alan Vagg, pilot,
Sgt Douglas Wolstenholme, observer,
LAC John George Pickard, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Den Hout: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1940 at 0106 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P4286
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington to disrupt communications facilities in the Netherlands, target was Breda. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Den Hout. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Leslie James Ashfield, pilot,
P/O Charles Douglas Crawley, pilot,
Sgt Francis Wallace McKinlay, observer,
Cpl Frank Preston, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Finnevaux: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
P1326
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell to bomb Möchengladbach. While approaching the target at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire that caused damages to the rudder controls and starboard engine. The pilot evacuated the area to the west and one hour later, instructed his crew to abandon the plane. He attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a field located in Finnevaux. The pilot was killed and all three other crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
W/C A. N. Luxmoore, †
P/O R. Allitt,
Sgt H. Wathey,
Cpl R. Jolly.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.