Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Vlielandin: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED485
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Warboys at 1807LT on a bombing mission over Wilhelmshaven. While approaching the Dutch coast by night, the aircraft crashed into the North Sea about 15 km off the Vlieland Island. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (156th Squadron):
P/O Thomas Edward Case,
P/O Harry William Welch,
Sgt Hugh Alexander McLennan,
Sgt Elias Cuthbert,
P/O Pierre Yves Camille Tremblay 2.

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell into the Timor Sea: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-144
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
87-7882
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft was engaged in a bombing mission over Dili. Approaching the target, the aircraft was attacked by few Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Two crew members, among them the pilot, were killed and the aircraft was hit on the right engine and the tail as well. The crew was able to leave the combat area but was eventually forced to ditch the aircraft into the Timor Sea, some 150 miles south of Dili. The aircraft sunk and was lost while four crew members were rescued a day later by an Australian destroyer.
Crew (18th Squadron):
2nd Lt B. J. Grummels, pilot, †
C. M. Fisscher, copilot,
Cpl Van Der Weert, radio operator,
Sgt Hoek, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Ronald Stuart Horridge, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Robert Gordon Tyler, wireless operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I Saint-Brisson: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7547
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bottesford - Langar
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Bottesford at 1914LT on February 13 on a bombing mission over Milan. On the return leg to RAF Langar, while overflying France, crew noticed that all four engines' temperature was too high. Shortly later, the engine number one fired and exploded. The crew decided to abandon the aircraft but only two crew bailed out and survived while five other occupants were killed when the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Saint Brisson, west of Saulieu.
Crew (207th Squadron):
F/Sgt John H. F. Whyte, pilot,
F/Sgt Stanley H. Eyre, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Thomas William Strong, observer, †
Sgt Frank Ivan Tillen, navigator, †
Ft/Sgt Athol Richard Grainger, †
Sgt Henry George Bone, †
Sgt Kenneth White. †
Probable cause:
Overheating, fire and explosion of the engine number one.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Black Intake Moor: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1943 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BJ778
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Croft - Croft
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew of this Wellington christened 'A for Apple' took off from RAF Croft at 1726LT for what is believed to have been a mine laying operational flight. Aircraft from various squadrons were mine laying the waters around The Frisians and Helgoland on this night. Other modern accounts quote Le Havre as being a land target for bombs but this is believed to not be correct. The accident record card for this incident; the Form Am1180, makes no mention of what the target was hence the confusion. The crew dropped their cargo and headed for home but were hit by flak. Before they could land at base the aircraft flew across the North Yorkshire Moors, the Moors were covered in a thick band of cloud at the time and the crew became uncertain of their position on their return to Yorkshire; they had probably flown off course by a few degrees. They descended to try and work out their location but struck high ground east of Chop Gate on Black Intake Moor at 2300LT and all on the aircraft lost their lives in the crash which completely destroyed the aircraft.
Crew (427th Squadron):
Sgt Oscar Philip Edwin Ronald J. Adlam, pilot,
F/O Bryan Dunn, navigator,
Sgt William Charles Ivor Jelley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Arnold Charles Clifford, bombardier,
Sgt William Ball, air gunner.
Source:
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/43/bj778.html

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III in Lage Donk: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
W8302
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Raynham - West Raynham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left RAF West Raynham on a bombing mission to Roosendaal. While approaching the target, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. All four crew members were able to bail out while the aircraft crashed in a field and was destroyed. Two crew were killed while two others were injured and taken PoW.
Crew:
Sgt W. E.Burns, †
Sgt W. A. Brown, †
Sgt C. A. Mcnair,
Sgt D. J. Searle.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Valsonne: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W4118
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Syerston - Syerston
YOM:
1942
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
340
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Syerston at 1810LT on a bombing mission over Torino. While approaching Lyon, two engines failed. The captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing in Valsonne, 30 km northwest of Lyon. By night and in low visibility, the aircraft hit the ground and crashed. Four crew members were killed while four others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Crew (106th Squadron):
Sgt D. L. Thompson, pilot,
Sgt Norman Burt Johnstone, flight engineer,
F/S Frank Lawrence Darlington, navigator,
F/O George Roland Powell, bombardier,
Sgt Wilfrid Eric Baker, radio operator,
Sgt R. P. Sutton, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt J. Picken, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt P. Ward, bombardier.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I near Bourg-Saint-Maurice: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED352
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Scampton at 1803LT on February 4 on a bombing mission over Turin. While approaching the Alps by night and very poor weather conditions, the aircraft hit the Belleface face located in the massif of La Pointe de La Terrasse, near Bourg-Saint-Maurice. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage was located few months later in an mountainous and isolated area.
Crew (57th Squadron):
F/O Alistair Frank Gray Ritch, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Cosford, flight engineer,
Sg Denis George Busby, navigator,
Sgt Eric Atkins, navigator,
Sgt Douglas McNeill, radio operator,
Sgt Eric Norman Perkins, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Ronald Shears, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Willeskop: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1943 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BF415
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ridgewell - Ridgewell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Ridgewell on a bombing mission to Germany. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Willeskop, killing all eight crew members.
Crew (90th Squadron):
F/S G. D. Macdougall, pilot,
Sgt G. Stephens,
Sgt L. R. Kenkins,
Sgt R. T. Williams,
Sgt C. G. H. Mactavish,
Sgt G. C. Adam,
Sgt P. J. Egan,
F/O F. A. Parton.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II off Calais

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AE781
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft left RAF Feltwell at 1420LT to bomb the Saint-Omer Aerodrome, with 11 other similar aircraft. While approaching the French coast, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. With both engine on fire, it was impossible for the pilot to continue the mission so all four crew members bailed out. The aircraft crashed some 300 yards off shore and was lost. All four crew members were rescued.
Crew (464th Squadron):
P/O P. R. Roberts, pilot,
P/O P. C. Middleton, navigator,
F/Sgt J. Dowling, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt J. F. Webb, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Hamont: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1943 at 2127 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED488
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful bombing mission over Germany, while overflying Belgium by night, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed near a farm. Four crew members were rescued while three others were killed. According to the RAF, two of them were killed during the attack while the third was killed as his parachute did not open properly.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O Al Power, pilot, †
F/O Tom Church, navigator,
Sgt Norman Clark, radio operator,
Sgt R. A. Holland,
Sgt Victor Mitchell, wireless operator,
F/L Jack Bousfield, air gunner, †
Sgt Stanley Beadon, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.