Zone
Ardennes

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Charleville-Mézières: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 417 Wellington III
Operator:
Registration:
X3472
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Bourn - Bourn
Location:
Charleville-Mézières
Ardennes
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bourn on an operation to Mannheim. While outbound, the port engine failed. The pilot made an emergency landing near Charleville-Mézières where the airplane was wrecked. A crew was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Jack Beecroft, pilot,
Sgt John Percival Love,
Sgt Sidney Bradley, navigator, †
Sgt H. P. Hanwell, wireless operator,
Sgt Alexander Crichton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of the left engine in flight.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3m in Charleville-Mézières: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.52
Operator:
Registration:
D-AKIM
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
5365
YOM:
1935
Location:
Charleville-Mézières
Ardennes
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reasons shortly after takeoff from Charleville-Mézières Airport. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Belval: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 22, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
L7803
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Location:
Charleville-Mézières
Ardennes
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Newmarket at 2120LT on May 21 on a bombing mission to Dinant. While flying at night, the airplane was shot down by the German Flak, exploded and crashed in a field located in Belval, some 6 km northwest of Charleville-Mézières. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (99th Squadron):
F/O John P. Dyer, pilot,
F/O Owen L. Williams, pilot,
Sgt John H. Lawrenson, observer,
LAC Charles R. A. Lovejoy, air gunner,
AC1 Edward Morton, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 Stanley C. Ogilvie, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Flak.
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