Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Abingdon: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 25, 1941 at 0320 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8354
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Harwell - Abingdon
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Harwell on a navigation exercise to RAF Abingdon. On approach, the left engine failed and the airplane crashed near the airbase. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Robert Andrew McConnochie, pilot,
P/O Harry Maynard Walsh, pilot,
Sgt Louis Charles Joseph Marien, observer,
Sgt Marten William Foxon, wireless operator,
Sgt Frederick Jackson Kemp, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward Murch, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine on final approach.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I on Mt Moel Sych: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9617
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Abingdon - Abingdon
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a training exercise out from RAF Abingdon. While cruising in limited visibility due to low clouds and mist, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Moel Sych (2,713 feet). A crew member was killed while all four other occupants were injured.
Crew (10th OTU):
F/O Thomas Leonard Weller, pilot, †
Frank Mitchell, wireless operator,
Sgt Raymond Keen, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Copland, navigator,
P/O J. E. Taylor, navigator.
Probable cause:
The pilot was flying at a too low altitude.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Chiselhampton Hill: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 5, 1941 at 0240 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z6667
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Abingdon - Abingdon
MSN:
2101
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Abingdon on a night training exercise. While cruising southeast of Oxford, it was shot down by a German JU.88 and crashed in Chiselhampton Hill, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Frederick Coulson Adams, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Grant Stratton, pilot,
F/Sgt Arthur Edward Walter Lynch, pilot,
Sgt William Archibald Bartleman, observer,
Sgt Peter Haselden Morris, wireless operator,
Sgt George Charles Peter Sanderson, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc I at RAF Abingdon

Date & Time: May 24, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
BT461
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The nose gear collapsed while taxiing at RAF Abingdon. There were no casualties and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The nose gear collapsed while taxiing.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Oxford: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 4, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
N1467
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Abingdon - Abingdon
MSN:
1607
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training exercise out from RAF Abingdon. While passing over the city of Oxford, the airplane suffered an engine failure. It first hi the western bank of the River Cherwell the slid up Linton Road and eventually crashed on a cottage. All three crew members were killed as well as one people on the ground.
Crew:
P/O Charles Nairn Small, pilot,
P/O William Alexander Munro Halley, observer,
Sgt John Alfred Mochan, wireless operator.
The person who wer killed on the ground was Frances Emma Hitchox.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Abingdon

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1940 at 0335 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P5111
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Topcliffe
MSN:
1819
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1628LT on December 27 on an operation to Bordeaux. While returning to base the following night, the crew diverted to RAF Abingdon when the bomber crashed on a building that was used for instructional purposes. All five crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
F/L C. L. Gomm,
Sgt Taylor,
Sgt Nickson,
Sgt Jones,
Sgt Flanders.

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

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
P4384
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton on an operation to Bordeaux. While returning to base the following night, it crashed in unknown circumstances near RAF Abingdon. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Abingdon

Date & Time: Oct 17, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
X2900
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton on the evening of October 16 on a mine laying mission. For unknown reasons, it overshot and crashed near the boundary of Abingdon Airfield. All four crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
Sgt G. M. Bates,
Sgt Bowden,
Sgt T. Goldie,
Sgt Fairbrother.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Milan: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
N1497
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Abingdon - Abingdon
MSN:
1637
YOM:
1939
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Abingdon in the evening of August 15 to bomb an aircraft factory located in Milan, Italy. It is believed that it was shot down by the Italian Flak while approaching the target area and crash landed. The pilot was killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
F/O Kenneth Hesketh Higson, pilot, †
Sgt D. W. Green,
Sgt Henry JohnDavis,
P/O Albert Ernest Victor Oliver,
Sgt A. Millington.
Probable cause:
Possibly shot down by the Italian Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Dymchurch Redoubt: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 14, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
P4965
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Abingdon - Abingdon
MSN:
1692
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Abingdon to bomb the Fiat Aero Engine plant in Torino, Italy. Badly shot up by a fighter attack over the target which left one engine out of action and severe damage to the starboard aileron. The captain succeeded in flying the crippled bomber across France but while trying to land on the beach near Dymchurch Redoubt on the Kent coast, the weakened aileron broke off and the aircraft plunged into the sea. Three crew managed to escape and the two pilots were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ernest Ian Parsons, pilot, †
Sgt Alfred Norman Campion, pilot, †
Sgt Chamberlain,
Sgt Marshall,
Sgt Sharpe.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.