Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Grubbenvorst: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1941 at 0400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1644
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Newton - Newton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Newton at 2305LT on June 26 on an operation to Düsseldorf. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Grubbenvorst, on the west bank of the River Maas. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Winston Sievers, pilot,
P/O Christopher Reginald Herbert, pilot,
P/O Alan George St. John Ross, observer,
Sgt Hector George Burgess, wireless operator,
F/Sgt William John Grieve, wireless operator,
Sgt Francis Joseph Hart, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Marham

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1501
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham on an operation to Cologne. During the takeoff roll, the pilot retracted the undercarriage prematurely, causing the aircraft to crash through the boundary fence. All six crew members evacuated safely while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt Skillen +5.
Probable cause:
Premature retraction of the undercarriage during the takeoff roll.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Saint-Laureins: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1406
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alconbury - Alconbury
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 2330LT on June 26 on an operation to Cologne. Over Belgium, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Saint-Laureins, near the border with the Netherlands. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Jack Samuel Clover,
P/O Kenneth Frederick Glock, pilot,
P/O Wallace Geoffrey Green, observer,
P/O David Wilson Horrocks,
S/gt Ticwyn Morris, air gunner,
Sgt Leslie Charles Page.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1372
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Waterbeach - Waterbeach
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waterbeach at 2338LT on June 25 on an operation to Bremen. It was lost without trace, maybe it crashed somewhere in the North Sea. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Sydney Rupert Andrews,
Sgt John Bernard Hancock,
Sgt Alexander Melville,
Sgt William Wotherspoon Melville,
Sgt Raymond Stanley Peck,
Sgt William Ruddock Welch.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Petten: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1941 at 0411 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1609
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 2359LT on June 24 on an operation to Emden. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 10 km southwest of Petten. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Judson Barton,
Sgt John Charles Eric Black,
Sgt Godfrey Allenby Douglas Cotton,
P/O John Dodds-Forrest,
Sgt George Thomas Hunt,
Sgt Godfrey Tegid Jones.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Clacton-on-Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5723
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Syerston in the evening of June 24 on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak, which caused damage to the port engine. The crew was able to evacuate the area but while approaching the British coast, the order to bail out was given. Two crew bailed out and were rescued while four others drowned after the airplane crashed into the North Sea off Clacton-on-Sea.
Crew:
S/L Kazimierz Maciej Kielich, †
Sgt Waclaw Januszkiewicz, †
Sgt Zbigniew Lewoniec, †
Sgt S. Witczac, †
P/O A. Idzikowskiz,
Sgt T. J. Frankowski.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into Lake Dobersdorfer: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1608
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 2215LT on June 24 on an operation to Kiel. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in the small lake of Dobersdorfer, off the village of Dobersdorf, about 10 km east of Kiel. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Robertson Sutherland, pilot,
Sgt Hartley Ward, pilot,
Sgt George Leslie Bentley, observer,
Sgt Anthony Cecil Frost, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Straughan, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Jones, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Debach: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2963
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2259LT on June 23 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, the pilot tried to land by aid of a Lorenz Beam, but due to faulty equipment and diminishing fuel reserves, an emergency landing was made at RAF Debach. in doing so, the Wellington collided with Moat House council dwellings. The pilot was seriously injured and died the following day.
Crew:
Sgt Frederick Ernest Tingley, pilot, †
P/O D. W. E. Sharpe,
Sgt J. Brittan,
Sgt R. Chandler,
Sgt A. Taylor,
Sgt H. Steele.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Winkburn: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1941 at 0400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1026
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 2158LT on June 22 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following morning, the starboard engine caught fire, causing the propeller to fell off. Control was lost and the airplane crashed near Winkburn. Two crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Czeslaw Tegowski, †
P/O Stanisław Pietruszka, †
Sgt Z. S. I. Poplawski,
F/O H. Sawlewicz,
Sgt F. Francisziek,
Sgt M. D. I. Grzymski.
Probable cause:
Engine failure and loss of propeller in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Nieuwe Niedorp: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1941 at 0213 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
T2990
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
East Wretham - East Wretham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 2316LT on June 22 on an operation to Bremen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Nieuwe Niedorp. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Jan Hejna, †
P/O Vilem Konstacky, †
F/Sgt Alois Rozum, †
P/O Leonard Smrcek, †
F/Sgt Karel Valach, †
Sgt Vilem Bifka.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.