Essex | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 0051LT on a ferry flight to Luqa, Malta, carrying a crew of six. Shortly after takeoff, one of the engine failed. The crew elected to return to the base but the flaps failed and altitude could not be maintained. It is believed that the crew was attempting an emergency landing in an open field when the airplane collided with trees and crashed near Poplar Farm, bursting into flames. Two crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
S/L B. J. McGinn,
P/O J. A. Parker,
Sgt A. D. Brisbane,
Sgt R. Clarke,
Sgt John Raggenbass, wireless operator, †
Sgt Claude Horace Bain, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Engine failure after takeoff.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Saint Osyth

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1940 at 0345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

P4984

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1706

YOM:

1940

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The bomber departed RAF Dishforth at 1705LT on November 28 on an operation to Stettin (Szczecin). While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and was abandoned by the crew. All five crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
P/O S. O. Hookway,
Sgt Austin,
Sgt Hughes,
Sgt Carter,
Sgt Brindley.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IF in Stock: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L6679

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Debden - Debden

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While cruising in clouds, the crew encountered icing conditions. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed near Stock. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leonard Thomas Winter, pilot,
Sgt Alec John Theasby, observer,
Sgt Andrew Lunn Romanis, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Icing.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z in Harlow: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1940 at 2355 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO.17

Operator:

Registration:

F1+BT

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

2783

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The bomber was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in a field in Harlow. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt U. Wagner,
Fw R. Grommer,
Fw A. Hans,
Gefr F. Heilig,
Uffz W. Hockendorf.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Harwich: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 11, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

T2280

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Bodney - Bodney

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The airplane departed RAF Bodney at 0153LT on an operation to Hamm. It ditched in the sea some 10 miles east of Harwich. Two crew survived and were rescued by the crew of a British destroyed while a third crew was killed.
Crew:
P/O Metcalfe,
Sgt Martin,
Sgt Sydney Richard Merrett. †

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P-2 near RAF Hornchurch: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 1, 1940 at 2145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

G1+JS

Flight Phase:

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MSN:

1571

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The airplane was shot down by the British Flak and crashed onto a house at 12 Matlock Gardens near RAF Hornchurch. The aircraft and the house were destroyed. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW. Three people in the house were also killed.
Crew:
Lt Hans-Adalbert Tuffers, pilot,
Uffz Josef Haverstreug,
Uffz Richard Bubel, †
Uffz Josef Juvan. †
Those killed on the ground were:
William Bird,
Margaret Bird,
Joyce Bird.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the British Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Saint Osyth

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1940 at 0730 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

T2740

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2324LT on October 23 on an operation to Emden. The next morning, while trying to make an emergency landing, the airplane crashed in Saint Osyth. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were rescued.
Crew:
F/O D. W. Donaldson,
P/O Woollatt,
P/O Lawson,
Sgt Bell,
Sgt Bullen,
Sgt Lewis.

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

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

L4154

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Waddington - Waddington

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The airplane departed RAF Waddington on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base, it ran out of fuel and crash landed in the Roman Way Camp located in the south suburb of Colchester. All four crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Sgt A. R. Atkins,
Sgt Hobbs,
Sgt Muir,
Sgt McLaren.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.5A Courier in Shenfield

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.5 Courier

Operator:

Registration:

X9345

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Shenfield - White Waltham

MSN:

YOM:

1934

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The airplane swung on takeoff and collided with a car. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was later considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Clacton-on-Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

P9245

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The aircraft departed RAF Mildenhall at 0014LT on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer. In unknow circumstances, the bomber crashed into the sea off Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. A crew member was able to swim ashore while all five other occupants have drowned.
Crew (149th Squadron):
S/L Lionel Vincent Andrews, †
P/O C. W. Parish,
Sgt Jack Leonard Brown, †
Sgt Nugent Joseph Bull, †
Sgt Donald Mayston Payne, †
P/O Walter George Searles. †