Skellingthorpe AFB

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe on 'Operation Fuller'. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/O Derek Guy Carter, pilot,
Sgt Donald McGregor Symes, navigator,
Sgt Frederick George Hancock, wireless operator,
Sgt Donald William Meeking, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1211LT on a mine laying operation off the Dutch coast. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea off Terschelling. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Reginald Newbald Smith, pilot,
F/Sgt Charles Edward Carroll, observer,
Sgt Arnold Geoffrey Bocock, radio operator,
F/Sgt John Stables, air gunner.

On final approach to RAF Skellingthorpe, the captain misinterpreted the wind sock's position. During the last segment, he realized he was approaching the wrong runway and decided to make a sharp turn to land on another runway more suitable according to the wind component. This caused the airplane to struck violently the runway surface. Upon impact, it lost its undercarriage and slid for several yards before coming to rest. All eight crew members escaped uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair. Brand new, it accumulated six flying hours only. First accident involving an Avro 683 Lancaster.
Crew (44th Squadron):
F/Sgt D. F. Nicholson +7.

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe on an operation to Münster. While returning to base in the evening, the crew diverted to RAF Cottesmore. On approach, the airplane crashed for unknown reasons in Exton, some 5 km south of the airfield. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O David Brian Peace, pilot,
Sgt John Wilson Adey, navigator,
Sgt Francis Haydn Brooke, wireless operator,
Sgt Archibald Donald Jory, air gunner.

The crew departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1642LT to attack the Blohm & Voss Plant in Hamburg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Gerald Alan Gale,
P/O Eric Vivian Hore,
P/O Lawrence Mason Jacob,
Sgt Philip Charles Pettersson.

The crew departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1642LT to attack the Blohm & Voss Plant in Hamburg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Leonard Arthur Angel,
Sgt Robert Ashton Baddeley,
Sgt Donald Wilfred Cockburn,
Sgt John Michael Horley.

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1649LT on a gardening operation. While returning to base in the late evening, it strayed from track and ran out of fuel. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed one mile west of Brampton. Two crew members were killed and two others were seriously injured. Two days later, one of the survivor died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Leonard Chapple Williams, pilot, †
Sgt Sydney Earnshaw, navigator, †
Sgt Alexander Russell Bernard, wireless operator, †
Sgt A. Caunce, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1757LT on an operation to Ostend. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William John Young, pilot,
Sgt Edward William Armer,
Sgt Douglas Arthur Ferguson,
Sgt Frederick Alexander White.

The airplane departed RAF Skellingthorpe at 1657LT on November 30 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel on approach and crashed two miles from the airbase. All four crew members were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Williams,
Sgt W. J. Johnston,
Sgt Smith,
Sgt Caunce.