Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

BF453

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chedburgh - Chedburgh

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The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 1940LT on an operation to Berlin. Over Hamburg, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near Finkenwerder Airport and was destroyed. All seen crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Edward Challis, pilot,
Sgt Reginald George Martin, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert Anderson, navigator,
Sgt Crawford Kier Phin, navigator,
Sgt Eric Greenhalgh, wireless operator,
Sgt Stanley Alfred Woodrow, air gunner,
Sgt Donald James Rae, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Melchiorshausen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1943 at 2138 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BF317

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1940LT on an operation to Berlin. Passing south of Bremen, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Melchiorshausen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Martin Lord, pilot,
Sgt Leonard Nash, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Daniel Wellington, navigator,
P/O Thomas Henry Brown, bomb aimer,
Sgt Norman Young, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert McKerrell, air gunner,
Sgt Jack Russell Oliver, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling III at Lyneham AFB

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

BK667

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Bourn - Bourn

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The airplane departed RAF Bourn at 1928LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. It turned back following major problems with the starboard outer and port inner engines. While trying to land at RAF Lyneham in poor visibility, the Stirling overshot and came down in a field. All eight crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
F/Lt J. L. Shiells, pilot,
Sgt G. K. Compson,
Sgt B. Taaffe,
Sgt C. B. Perring,
Sgt L. A. James,
Sgt J. Gould,
Sgt B. J. A. Bessette,
Sgt D. J. A. Hyde, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Ridgewell

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943 at 1415 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W7627

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Ridgewell - Ridgewell

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Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll from RAF Ridgewell, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a parked Stirling registered BK693 that was repaired. W7627 was damaged beyond repair and all crew members escaped unhurt.
Crew:
F/O J. Overton, pilot +4.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Hoek van Holland: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2316 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BK592

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1945LT on an operation to Essen. While returning to base in the late evening, after passing the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 20 km off Hoek van Holland. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Donald Edward Street, pilot,
Sgt William Miller Meiklejohn, flight engineer,
Sgt Donald Charles Wilson, navigator,
Sgt Thomas Edward Hastings, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt Richard Allan Whitaker Sharpe, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Douglas Neale, air gunner,
F/Sgt Winston Seymour Berry, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 2119 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

EF330

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

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The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 1938LT on an operation to Essen. Southeast of Arnhem, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Loerbeek. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Fred Alwyn Pearson, pilot,
Sgt Victor Page, pilot,
Sgt Jack Misseldine, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Phillip Holmes Skinner, observer,
F/O Greaton Wesley Sellers, navigator,
Sgt William Hugh Clayton, wireless operator,
P/O Lionel Hubert Rogers Binning, air gunner,
W/O George William Miller, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Lakenheath

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 0259 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

EF327

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Lakenheath - Lakenheath

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Lakenheath at 2000LT on March 11 on an operation to Stuttgart. On return to base, it landed at 0259LT whereupon an engine failed and the Stirling swung off the runway, coming to a stop with its undercarriage collapsed. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O I. T. S. Fulton, pilot,
Sgt J. W. Houlgrave,
Sgt A. J. Crosson,
Sgt E. D. Edwards,
Sgt E. G. Hunt,
Sgt L. H. Casserley,
Sgt C. L. Blackford, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Engine failure on landing.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Fagnières: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943 at 0018 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BF469

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Chedburgh - Chedburgh

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Chedburgh at 2002LT on an operation to Stuttgart. Over France, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Fagnières, west suburb of Châlons-en-Champagne. Six crew members were killed and the air gunner became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Alexander Carruthers, pilot, †
Sgt Edgar Louis Eaglen, flight engineer, †
Sgt Eric Parker, navigator, †
Sgt Percy Pugh Oakes, bomb aimer, †
F/Sgt Basil Carnell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Brian Roland Jennings, air gunner, †
F/Sgt Arthur James Tyrell, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling in Dieppe-Saint-Aubin: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

BF343

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: