Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Den Helder: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4110
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While approaching The Netherlands, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the North Sea some 20 km off Den Helder. All seven crew members were killed.

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

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT139
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Balderton - Balderton
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
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 Balderton at 2341LT on July 21 on an operation to Duisburg. In unknown circumstances, it crashed into the sea east of Den Helder. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Robert Wishart, pilot,
Sgt Robert Spencer Doherty, observer,
F/Sgt John Beverly Pleasence, wireless operator,
P/O Thomas Reginald Ashton, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Den Helder: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1942 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
W1110
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 2331LT on June 27 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 20 km southwest of Den Helder. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O William Lawrence Scott, pilot,
Sgt George Bertram Tatham, flight engineer,
W/O Gordon McLean Phillips, observer,
P/O John James Hughes, bomb aimer,
F/Sgt James Edward Cole, wireless operator,
Sgt Sidney Bertram Rowland, air gunner,
P/O Joseph Harvey Milton Lacelle, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Den Helder: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942 at 0426 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
BD266
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Honeybourne - Honeybourne
MSN:
2473
YOM:
1942
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honeybourne at 2236LT on June 25 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following morning, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the North Sea some 10 km southwest of Den Helder. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Frederick Marsden Cole, pilot,
P/O Sidney Arthur Cheeseman, observer,
P/O Harry William Blackford, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Peter Christopher Omilianouski, air gunner,
Sgt William Percy Rixon, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V off Den Helder: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1942 at 0152 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
P5147
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thornaby - Thornaby
MSN:
414-1836
YOM:
1940
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thornaby at 2315LT on June 25 on an operation to Bremen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the Sea of Wadden off Den Helder. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew (1st OTU):
P/O David Reed Farnham, pilot, †
F/O William Denman Whatley, pilot, †
S/L William Derek Hodgkinson,
F/Sgt Victor Frank Cave.



Probable cause:
Shot down by a German night fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Den Helder: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1942 at 0027 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
W7474
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham 2306LT on June 3 on an operation to Bremen. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Den Helder. Seven crew members were killed and the eighth became PoW.
Crew:
P/O James Garscadden, pilot, †
P/O John Douglas Insch, observer, †
F/Sgt Harold Cyril Frederick Broadbent, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Leo Louis Joseph Farley, wireless operator, †
Sgt Keith Rowland Cox, air gunner,
Sgt Norman Cyril Frederick Sibley, air gunner, †
Sgt Leonard James Smith, air gunner, †
P/O John Richard Webber, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V in Den Helder: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 8, 1942 at 0355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
AM683
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
North Coates - North Coates
MSN:
414-2465
YOM:
1941
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
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 North Coates at 0118LT on a maritime patrol flight. While cruising along the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed in Den Helder. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/O Charles John Wyllie, pilot,
F/Sgt Alexander Taylor Thompson, pilot,
Sgt William Robertson MacLeod, wireless operator,
Sgt William John Rowe, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV off Den Helder: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942 at 2227 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 424 Wellington IV
Operator:
Registration:
Z1269
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1940LT on an operation to Essen. While returning to base in the late evening, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the Waddenzee east of Den Helder. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Bogumil Zelazinski, pilot,
P/O Bolesław Uszolewicz, pilot,
F/O Franciszek Jakukowski, observer,
Sgt Kwiecinski, wireless operator,
Sgt Teofil Niemeczek, air gunner,
Sgt Wladysław Stachurski, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Den Helder: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1942 at 2231 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT121
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Coningsby - Coningsby
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 1805LT on an operation to Münster. Passing over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by the German Flak. With an engine on fire, it went out of control and crashed onto a house located at Langestraat in Den Helder. Two crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew.
F/Lt Harold John William Bareham, pilot,
P/O Thomas Allen Whiting, observer,
Sgt Stanley Albert Dungey, wireless operator, †
Sgt Edward John Snelling, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Den Helder: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 9, 1941 at 1739 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW190
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
MSN:
9897
YOM:
1941
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
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 Manston at 1542LT to attack a convoy sighted off Hoek van Holland. After the attack, the airplane was hit by the blast of its own bombs. The left engine caught fire and the airplane crashed into the sea, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Mark Lee, pilot,
Sgt Henry Carter,
Sgt John Alfred Chadaway,
F/Sgt John Ansley Foster.
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