Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster II in Nieuw Dordrecht: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1944 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LL684
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waterbeach AFB - Waterbeach AFB
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Waterbeach (Cambridgeshire) at 1826LT for a bombing mission over Frankfurt. In the evening, while flying back to its base, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Nieuw Dordrecht, six km southeast of Emmen. Five crew members were killed while two others were injured.
Crew (514th Squadron) :
Sergeant John Bernard Underwood, pilot, †
Sergeant Albert William Johnson, engineer, †
Ivor John Frederick Rich, navigator, †
Flight Officer W. D. McPhee,
Sergeant Richard Jock Day, wireless operator, †
Sergeant R. C. Sime, air gunner,
Sergeant John Howell, air gunner, †.
Probable cause:
Shot down by fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Le Chaumont: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1944 at 2245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
JB474
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
East Kirkby AFB - East Kirkby AFB
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF East Kirkby (Lincolnshire) in the early evening with a crew of 7 on a bombing mission to Stuttgart. The aircraft successively flew over Normandy, Vosges and Belfort when the crew lost his orientation by night and in poor weather conditions. Instead of flying bound to the east for Stuttgart, the pilot continued to the south bound for Switzerland. When it arrived at the border between France and Germany, the bomber was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter Messerschmitt Me.110G. The aircraft caught fire but the crew was able to continue for few minutes before the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a prairie located in Le Chaumont, southeast of Saignelégier, Jura, Switzerland. Six crew were killed while the seventh occupant was later rescued. He was able to bail out with his parachute when the aircraft was at a height of some 1,000 meters.
Crew (57th Squadron):
Sam Atcheson, pilot,
Anthony McCall, navigator,
Sergeant Jack Greenhalgh, armourer
Sergeant Brian Thomas, engineer,
Sergeant Frank Weaver, radio,
Sergeant James Naylor,
Sergeant Kenneth Reece, gunner, the only survivor.
Source: www.retrotrame.ch
Probable cause:
Short down.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Ehra-Lessien: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 1944 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK538
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was overflying Germany when it was attacked by a German fighter. Two crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft exploded in mid air and crashed in a field in Ehra-Lessien. All five other crewmen were killed.
Crew:
Hubert Wallis, pilot, †
Sergeant T. F. Preston, flight engineer,
L. E. Tozer, navigator,
Sergeant Albert Alfred Pardoe, air gunner, †
Sergeant Kenneth Sims, air gunner, †
Sergeant David John Brewer, air gunner, †
Eric Bremner, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster II off Schellinkhout: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1944 at 2319 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LL689
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
RAF Witchford - RAF Witchford
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Witchford on a bombing mission over Berlin. While flying by night over The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by a German fighter, went out of control and crashed into the Marker Lake, off Schellinkhout. Two crew members were rescued while all five others were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Avro 683 Lancaster II in Great Dunmow: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1944 at 2020 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DS827
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
RAF Witchford - RAF Witchford
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a night training exercise on behalf of the 115th Squadron. While cruising, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field in Great Dunmow, Essex. All eight occupants were killed.
Crew:
Sergeant W. J. B. Bishop, pilot,
Sergeant C. G. Magness, navigator,
Sergeant J. C. Speechly,
Sergeant R. E. Green,
Sergeant J. Carless,
Sergeant P. F. Palmer,
Sergeant H. D. Clough,
1st Lieutenant C. A. Weber.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster II off Kornwerderzand: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1944
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LL627
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Waterbeach - Waterbeach
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While overflying The Netherlands following a bombing mission over Berlin, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in the Lake Wadden, off Kornwerderzand. All 7 crew were killed.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Klazienaveen: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1944 at 1838 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DV287
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crew was involved in a bombing mission. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field in Klazienaveen. A crew was seriously injured while all 8 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the pilot of a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Terramesnil: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 10, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED886
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tempsford - Tempsford
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Took off at 2112LT from RAF Tempsford for an arms supply drop over northern France. While trying to establish a pinpoint between Boulogne and Saint-Pol, the Lancaster was hit by the German Flak and crashed at Terramesnil, 6 km southeast of Doullens. Two crewmen were killed while five others were taken PoW.
Crew (617th Squadron):
W/O G. F. Bull,
Sgt C. C. Wiltshire,
Sgt C. M. Chamberlain,
Sgt J. McL. Stewart, †
F/S N. Batey,
F/S J. H. McWilliams,
F/S D. M. Thorpe. †
Source: W. R. Chorley.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in RAF Waddington

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7574
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF Waddington, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed onto a building located near the runway end. While the aircraft was destroyed, all seven crew members were injured.
Crew (467th Squadron):
Sgt C. C. Schomberg,
Sgt H. Steele,
F/Sgt L. R. Seton,
Sgt C. Gifford,
F/Sgt B. W. Fitzgerald,
Sgt H. A. Brown,
P/O L. J. Calderwood.
Probable cause:
Loss of control shortly after rotation caused by an engine failure.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III into the Bay of Biscay: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1943 at 0555 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ED735
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rabat – Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left Rabat at 2340LT on November 17 bound for RAF Coningsby. While overflying the Bay of Biscay north of the Portuguese coast, the aircraft was lost around 0555LT, probably after being shot down by a German fighter. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (617th Squadron):
F/Lt E. E. G. Youseman, pilot,
F/S S. Wittingham,
F/O E. Fleshka,
F/O W. C. Grimes,
W/O A. Laughland,
F/Sgt R. Florence,
W/O J. B. O'Grady.