Croft AFB

Shortly after takeoff from Croft AFB, in initial climb, the aircraft collided with a flock of birds that hit the windshield. Both pilots were injured and attempted to make an emergency landing. They reduced their altitude and landed in an open field. Aircraft skidded few hundred yards before coming to rest. All crew were rescued and evacuated while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Crew was from 434th Squadron.

The crew of this Wellington christened 'A for Apple' took off from RAF Croft at 1726LT for what is believed to have been a mine laying operational flight. Aircraft from various squadrons were mine laying the waters around The Frisians and Helgoland on this night. Other modern accounts quote Le Havre as being a land target for bombs but this is believed to not be correct. The accident record card for this incident; the Form Am1180, makes no mention of what the target was hence the confusion. The crew dropped their cargo and headed for home but were hit by flak. Before they could land at base the aircraft flew across the North Yorkshire Moors, the Moors were covered in a thick band of cloud at the time and the crew became uncertain of their position on their return to Yorkshire; they had probably flown off course by a few degrees. They descended to try and work out their location but struck high ground east of Chop Gate on Black Intake Moor at 2300LT and all on the aircraft lost their lives in the crash which completely destroyed the aircraft.
Crew (427th Squadron):
Sgt Oscar Philip Edwin Ronald J. Adlam, pilot,
F/O Bryan Dunn, navigator,
Sgt William Charles Ivor Jelley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Arnold Charles Clifford, bombardier,
Sgt William Ball, air gunner.
Source:
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/43/bj778.html

The aircraft left RAF Croft at 1651LT on a bombing mission to Lorient. While returning to his base by night, the crew encountered poor visibility. The bomber hit the slope of Mt Kinder Scout located northwest of Edale and was destroyed by impact forces. All six crew members were injured.
Crew (427th Squadron):
F/Lt Carroll Alfred Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Lyndon George Southwood, copilot,
P/O Donald Mortimer, bomb aimer,
P/O George Albert Martin, navigator,
Sgt Anthony David Deane, wireless operator,
Sgt William Lumsden, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Croft at 2303LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. It was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the North Sea off the Dutch coast. Four crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
P/O John Stephen Lawson, pilot, †
Sgt Ronald McGlen, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Thomas Breech Miller, navigator,
Sgt Donald Edwin West, wireless operator, †
P/O Philip John Jones, air gunner,
Sgt William Thompson, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Croft at 2255LT on June 1st on an operation to Essen. While cruising at an altitude of 14,000 feet, the bomber collided with a German night-fighter and crashed at Winterswijk, some 16 km north-northeast of where the collision occurred. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Geoffrey Douglas Leyland, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Edward Richard Lyons, flight engineer, †
P/O Lloyd George Geddes, navigator,
Sgt Colin Gray Pugsley, bomb aimer,
Sgt Wilfred Brookes, wireless operator, †
Sgt James Strang, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Croft at 2328LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night, the crew encountered poor weather and low visibility. The airplane collided with a Hampden registered P5321 and carrying a crew of four that just emerged from clouds. Both aircraft crashed near March. Two crew were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
P/O Geoffrey Charles Foers, pilot,
Sgt Curtiss,
Sgt A. H. Warner,
Sgt George Bolton, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt A. W. H. Gamble,
Sgt Alan Caie, air gunner. †

The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF Croft. Almost immediately after takeoff, the airplane crashed and collided with another Halifax. The second airplane involved was repaired and there were no injuries among the crew.
Crew:
Sgt W. Dench +4.

The crew was completing a local test flight at RAF Croft. On final approach, the bomber crashed in a field, about 3 km north of the airbase. All five occupants were rescued, among them one was injured.
Crew:
S/L G. D. Leyland +4.

The airplane departed RAF Croft at 2305LT on May 3 on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 20 km off Juist. All 7 crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Albert John Drake Snow, pilot,
Sgt Eric Charles Smith, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Ross Mills, flight engineer,
F/O Edwin Charles Long Hebblethwaite, observer,
P/O John Robert Kennedy, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Percy Willoughby Davies, wireless operator,
Sgt Gilbert Murray Edwards, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Croft at 2254LT on May 3 on an operation to Hamburg. West of Luneburg, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Südergellersen. Six crew members were killed and a seventh became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Alfred William Hedge, pilot, †
Sgt Dennis Waterman Drew, pilot, †
Sgt Frederick Roberts Hipwell, flight engineer, †
Sgt John Hewitson, observer, †
Sgt John Archibald Lloyd, wireless operator, †
P/O Gerald Ware Copeland, air gunner, †
Sgt John Emmerson Hanna, air gunner.