Country
United Kingdom

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Watchfield: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 25, 1942 at 1743 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P5329
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Wigsley
Location:
Watchfield
Somerset
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval on a mine laying operation off Lorient. While returning to RAF Wigsley (main base), the right propeller detached. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed near Watchfield, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Lt Alan Herbert Metcalfe, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Max Donohoe,
F/O James Albert Sayer,
F/Sgt George Stevenson Wilson, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Loss of the right propeller in flight.

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 at RAF North Luffenham

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1942 at 2326 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT116
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Location:
North Luffenham AFB
Rutland
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 North Luffenham on a mine laying operation. Returning to base, it clipped the wing of Short Stirling N3674, which had just landed and got bogged down. The Hampden was damaged beyond repair and the Stirling was repaired.
Crew:
Sgt D. J. Towler,
Sgt E. F. Penlington,
Sgt J. Burns,
Sgt W. Woodford.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Branscombe: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1942 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P1226
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Exeter - Exeter
Location:
Branscombe
Devonshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Following repairs, the airplane departed Exeter Airfield on a local test flight prior to be delivered to RAF Scampton. While flying in foggy conditions, the airplane impact the slope of hilly terrain and crashed near Branscompe. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Derek Alfred Cook, pilot,
P/O Robert Emmett Manders, observer.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1942 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P5326
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wigsley - Wigsley
Location:
Wigsley AFB
Nottinghamshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Wigsley. Upon takeoff, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed. A crew was killed and a second was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Keith Alexander Andrews, pilot, †
Sgt E. G. Miflin, navigator.
Probable cause:
Engine failure upon takeoff.

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

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1942 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT192
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wigsley - Wigsley
Location:
Essen
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wigsley at 1917LT on March 10 on an operation to Essen. It failed to return to base and is believed or to have crashed in the target area or somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
P/O Orrel Gandy, pilot,
P/O Lewis Alfred Wright, navigator,
Sgt Eric Maynard Jennings, wireless operator,
Sgt Gardfield Lloyd Skinner, 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 Wigsley

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1942 at 0050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P2085
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wigsley - Wigsley
Location:
Wigsley AFB
Nottinghamshire
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 Wigsley at 1926LT on March 10 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, it landed on the starboard wheel only. This caused the Hampden to swerve violently onto nearby rough ground, where the undercarriage collapsed. There were no injuries.
Crew:
Sgt E. H. Busfield,
Sgt Waites,
Sgt Gower,
Sgt Biggin.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Hoerstgen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT174
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Location:
Hoerstgen
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 1913LT on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Hoerstgen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O William Henry Thomson Andrews, pilot,
P/O James Bernard Dunne, observer,
Sgt Sydney Trevor Drew, wireless operator,
Sgt Albert Alexander Gauld, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
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