Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester IA off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7494
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Woolfox Lodge at 1742LT on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer, with 19 other similar aircrafts. While approaching the French coast, the bomber exploded and crashed into the sea few miles offshore. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (61st Squadron):
S/L John Lawrence Riley, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Leslie Wells, copilot,
F/Sgt John Wilson, radio navigator,
P/O Reginald Adcock, flight engineer,
Sgt James Crawford, air gunner,
Sgt James Benjamin Leight, air gunner,
Sgt John Victor Randall, air bomber.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5577
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Binbrook - Binbrook
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 2115LT on August 30 on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Approaching the target area, it crashed into the sea, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Rustom Nariman Dastur, pilot,
Sgt William Brown Clark, observer,
Sgt Ronald Benjamin Russell, air gunner,
P/O Chander Parkash Khosla,
Sgt Paul James Lewis,
Sgt James Fitzgerald Wolff.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Boulogne-sur-Mer: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6017
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1030LT to attack a power station located in Chocques. Approaching Boulogne-sur-Mer, the airplane was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/O Cecil Victor Fraser, pilot,
P/O Lawrence Beresford O'Reilly, pilot,
Sgt Ernest Hildred Rogers, observer,
Sgt Sidney Bridges, wireless operator,
Sgt Windsor Wilcox, wireless operator,
Sgt Reginald Jack Clifton,
Sgt Kenneth Russell Wood.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6386
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Detling - Detling
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Detling at 1558LT on an operation to France. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Boulogne-sur-Mer. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Peter Baxton Villa, pilot,
Sgt John Andre Mortimer, observer, †
Sgt Sydney Williaym McIntyre, radio operator and air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Boulogne-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
T1874
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 2200LT on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer. It crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching the target, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L Gerald Charles Neil Close, pilot,
F/O Frederick George Roberts, observer,
Sgt Gordon William Richards, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 3, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
T1825
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Manston Airport at 1929LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching Boulogne-sur-Mer, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Charles Desmond Brown,
P/O Cecil Harry Farvis,
Sgt Arthur John Morgan.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
X2922
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
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 Hemswell on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Approaching the French coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/L Douglas James How, pilot,
Sgt Alec Albert Brooker, pilot,
P/O Tom Hwfa Nixon Lane,
Sgt Richard Cuthbert Dickinson, wireless operator.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.4A off Boulogne: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1919
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DH.4
Operator:
Registration:
H5894
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
London - Paris
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed London on a flight to Paris, carrying one pilot and one passenger, the agronomist and botanist Aaron Aaronsohn. While flying over The Channel, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the sea off Boulogne-sur-Mer. Both occupants were killed.
Subscribe to Boulogne-sur-Mer