Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Coningsby

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1942 at 1450 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7459
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Coningsby AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local bombing practice operation. Just after liftoff, a bomb stored in the cargo bay exploded. A thick smoke spread in the cockpit. Blinded, the pilot reduced the engine power, causing the airplane to stall and to land back on the runway. Out of control, it veered off runway and came to rest. All seven occupants were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
F/Lt G. H. Hartley,
Sgt P. R. Barnes,
Sgt C. W. R. Booth,
Sgt G. H. P. Dean,
Sgt J. Barker,
Sgt C. Mayland,
Sgt R. G. W. Gross.
Probable cause:
A bomb stored in the cargo bay exploded at liftoff for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Terschelling: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1942 at 1920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT123
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1650LT on a mine laying operation off the Frisian Islands. It was lost without trace and is believed to have been shot down by the German Flak.
Crew:
P/O Donald Arthur Howard, pilot,
F/O Alexander James Fraser, observer,
Sgt Albert Harry Gardner, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Kenneth McKenzie.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Schoonebeek: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1941 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE151
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Schoonebeek
Drenthe
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1210LT On an operation to Oldenburg. It is believed that it was hit by the German Flak over the target area, and while returning to base and passing over the Netherlands, it crash landed in Schoonebeek. A crew was killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Reginald Stanley Hartgroves, pilot,
P/O Anthony Carter, navigator, †
Sgt Ron Yearsley, wireless operator,
Sgt Doug Martin, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I at RAF Coningsby: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7490
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Coningsby AFB
Lincolnshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 0930LT on an operation to Brest. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak but the pilot was able to evacuate the zone and to return to base. Nevertheless, on final approach to base, the airplane stalled and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
W/Cdr Denys Finlay Balsdon, pilot,
Sgt Harold Bischlager, pilot,
F/Sgt George Edward Alfred Pendrill, pilot,
F/Sgt Jack Lloyd Gibson, observer,
F/Lt Robert Alan Wright, observer,
Sgt Ronald Thomas Bray, wireless operator,
Sgt Frank Young Downie Kerr, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Leslie William Jones, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The Flak damage is believed to have been a contributory factor.

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

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE391
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Oberhausen
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1040LT on an operation to Gelsenkirchen. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Oberhausen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Samuel Victor Crowhurst, pilot,
F/Lt Harold Dudley Webber, pilot,
Sgt Frank Norman, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Robson-Scott, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT115
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1640LT on an operation to Hamburg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Jack Goodbrand,
Sgt Henry Griffiths,
Sgt Arthur Edward Hill,
Sgt Frank Edwin Rolfe.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
P1228
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1620LT on an operation to Hamburg. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Thomas Francis Gowan,
Sgt Dan Davies Jones,
Sgt Arthur John Moore,
Sgt Anthony Joseph William Parker.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Wangerooge Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 26, 1941 at 2045 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AE317
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Wangerooge Island
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1705LT on an operation to Emden. Flying along the German coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Wangerooge Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Walter James Moss, pilot,
Sgt Wilfrid Langdon Ball,
Sgt Ralph Hollesley Breckell,
Sgt John Francis Tarran, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Walpole St Andrew: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1941 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
R5792
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Walpole St Andrew
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a training sortie from RAF Coningsby when it collided with a RAF Hurricane registered V6864 and crashed in Walpole St Andrew, west of King's Lynn. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur Carriss Smith, pilot,
F/O Henry Thomas Hill, pilot,
Sgt John Newton, observer,
Sgt Fred Holt, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Charles Hutton,
Sgt Francis Edward Martin, wireless operator,
Sgt Jesse Few, air gunner.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester into the North Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7466
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1320LT on an air sea rescue operation to search for crew reported missing from the previous night operations. The aircraft was last seen around 1600LT and failed to return to base. No trace was ever found.
Crew (97th Squadron):
Sgt Clifford Robert Bronson,
Sgt Amos Richard Albert Dexter,
Sgt Frederick William Manners,
P/O Gordon Harold John Pickering,
F/Lt Charles Peter Dovey Price,
F/Sgt Christopher Stanley,
Sgt Neville Jack Weston.
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