Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Vlieland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 0033 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT151
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Vlieland Island
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1940LT on an operation to Essen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Vlieland Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Howard Phillips Roblin, pilot,
Sgt Eric Alexander Gordon Lumsden, observer,
Sgt Robert Dudley Howarth, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Davidson Beattie, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Ludgvan

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT118
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Ludgvan
Cornwall
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was returning to base following a survey flight. It is believed that it suffered an engine failure and later crash landed near Ludgvan, bursting into flames. All crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
S/L F. R. Jeffs +3.
Probable cause:
Engine failure, maybe caused by a fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Skellingthorpe

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1942 at 1915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7486
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Skellingthorpe AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a local training exercise at RAF Skellingthorpe. For unknown reasons, it landed hard and bounced. It went out of control and crashed, bursting into flames. There were no casualties.
Crew (50th Squadron):
Sgt D. Atkinson.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Locquénolé: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE429
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Locquénolé
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1920LT on a mine laying operation off Brest. Approaching the target area from the north, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Locquénolé. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ivor Owen Davies, observer,
P/O Dennis Reginald Fair, pilot,
Sgt Jack Hudson, wireless operator,
Sgt John Henry Pearson, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Isle of Groix: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT158
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Isle of Groix
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe on a mine laying operation off Lorient. It crashed into the sea off Isle of Groix, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O James Duncan Crombie, pilot,
Sgt Harry Naughton Deckman, observer,
Sgt Frank Manley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles Ronald Clive Perry, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Ilketshall St Margaret

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1942 at 0225 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT173
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Ilketshall St Margaret
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1935LT on March 10 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions with low visibility due to a thick layer of mist. After the airplane ran out of fuel, the crew abandoned the airplane that dove into the ground and crashed near Ilketshall St Margaret and was destroyed. All four crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Philip John Stone, pilot,
Sgt Jack Hudson, wireless operator,
Sgt Alan John Mills, wireless operator,
Sgt O'Connor, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Skellingthorpe: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1942 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE387
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Skellingthorpe AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a test flight at RAF Skellingthorpe. It swung upon takeoff in strong winds and crashed, bursting into flames. A crew was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
P/O P. W. W. Nook,
Sgt P. Wood,
LAC Harry Lees. †

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Lorient: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 7, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE400
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
Lorient
Morbihan
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 0217LT on a mine laying operation off Lorient (Artichokes area). It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed in the sea off the target area. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O Allan Godfrey Davidson, pilot,
Sgt Leslie Norman Follows, copilot,
Sgt William Mervyn Alastair Eeadley, wireless operator,
Sgt Gordon Shackleton, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Feb 28, 1942 at 0220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE218
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Skelli
Location:
Skellingthorpe AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1755LT on February 27 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, it suffered a double engine failure and crashed on final approach to base. All four crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/Sgt R. Johnson,
Sgt Booker,
F/Sgt D. L. Barrie,
Sgt Denman.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure on approach caused by a fuel exhaustion.

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

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1942 at 0218 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE394
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Location:
York
Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Took off from Skellingthorpe at 18:40 to attack a railway junction to the west of Koblenz, Germany. For an unknown reason the navigator lost consciousness on the flight but it is thought that he was able to return to his post later. On the return trip the aircraft ran low on fuel due to a navigational error and after crossing the Yorkshire Coast on one engine the aircraft began to ice up. After flying on one engine for some time and with a lack of control of the aircraft the pilot ordered the crew to bail out when the second engine cut out over the York area. The pilot saw one of his crew get clear, assumed that all three crew had all made good their escape and then got himself clear of the aircraft. Sadly the lower escape hatches were jammed shut probably due to the ice formations on the aircraft and the other two airmen were unable to get out of the aircraft before it crashed at 02:18 near to the centre of York on a road named Haleys Terrace. The other airman who the pilot saw get clear of the aircraft was also killed when his parachute failed to deploy properly. The two buried in the same grave are probably the two killed when they were unable to get clear of the aircraft.
Crew:
W/O Ivor Philip Mapp, pilot,
Sgt Hector Francis Thompson, navigator, †
Sgt Francis Reginald Law, wireless operator, †
Sgt Philip Sidney Ballard, air gunner. †
Source: Aircraft Accidents in Yorkshire.
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