Crash of a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II off Borkum Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1983 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
D-IAKS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
31-7820048
YOM:
1978
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Borkum Island Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane lost height and crashed in the Sea of Wadden, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found about 2 km offshore and all eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Borkum Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1942 at 2215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DV423
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1741LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. In the late evening, while returning to base, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Borkum Island. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Jan Zajac, pilot,
Sgt Stanisław Garstka, pilot,
P/O Jozef Maczynski, navigator,
Sgt Rajmund Antoni Pokrzywa, wireless operator,
Sgt Jacek Strzyzewski, wireless operator,
F/O Tadeusz Jozef Klewicz, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Borkum Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
Z9130
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2269
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2221LT on an operation to Berlin. Flying along the German coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Borkum Island. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Peter George Scott Dickenson, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur Vincent Carpenter, †
Sgt William Martin Chambers, †
P/O David Albert Simpson, air bomber, †
Sgt Brian Stephen Walley.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Borkum Island

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AE315
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 2000LT on September 2 on a mine laying operation. While approaching the island of Borkum at a too low altitude, the airplane collided with a sand bank and crashed into the sea. All four crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Harry Logan,
Sgt Richard Brian Olliver,
Sgt John F. Payne,
Sgt John Donald Walshe.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Borkum Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1941 at 2300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7324
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 2200LT on an operation to Berlin. One hour into the flight, the crew reported the right engine had failed. This was the last transmission. Two dead bodies were found but no trace of the airplane nor the rest of the crew. It appears that the airplane crashed into the sea some 30 km off Borkum Island.
Crew (97th Squadron):
F/Lt Gerald Oscar Ladler Bird,
P/O William Adam Brown,
Sgt Wallace Patrick Hannigan, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Kenneth John Hutt, observer,
Sgt Peter Norman Nutt,
Sgt Reginald George Pyatt.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I off Borkum Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7353
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bircham Newton - Bircham Newton
MSN:
414-1749
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bircham Newton on a reconnaissance mission. Approaching Borkum Island, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Ian Lowrie Gray, pilot,
Sgt Montague Moore, pilot,
AC1 Benjamin Gill, observer,
LAC Reginald James Sloan, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA off Borkum Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1939 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2888
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a patrol mission, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German Messerschmitt Me.110. The bomber went out of control and crashed into the sea off Borkum Island. While the captain was seriously injured, all four other crew members were killed.
Crew (on behalf of 37th Squadron):
F/O Peter Arabin Wimberley, pilot,
Sgt Leslie Alfred Sheppard, observer, †
P/O Michael Radcliffe, navigator, †
AC1 Alexander Maxwell Hill, wireless operator and air gunner, †
LAC Alfred William Walter Lane, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA on Borkum Island: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2936
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 0944LT on a reconnaissance mission off the German coast, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on a sandy beach located on Borkum Island where the aircraft crash landed. Three crewmen were injured and two others were killed.
Crew (37th Squadron):
Sgt Herbert Ruse, pilot,
Sgt Thomas William Holley, observer, †
Sgt Tom K. May, navigator,
Cpl Frederick James Taylor, wireless operator and air gunner, †
LAC. Harry A. Jones, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA off Borkum Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N2889
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a patrol mission, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German Messerschmitt Me.110. The bomber went out of control and crashed into the sea off Borkum Island. One crew was injured and rescued while all four other crew members were killed.
Crew (on behalf of 37th Squadron):
F/O Oliver John Trevor Lewis, pilot, †
Sgt Maurice William Barrington-Taylor, navigator, †
P/O Roderick Menzie Ross, navigator, †
AC1 Peter Thomas Jones, wireless operator and air gunner, †
AC1 George Warne Geddes, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.