Crash of a Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax V near Addingham: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1944 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.63 Halifax V
Operator:
Registration:
DK185
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
Location:
Addingham
Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a night training exercise from the RAF Dishforth. En route, while flying in poor weather conditions due to fog and mist, the captain seems to be lost and was trying to locate the airport of Yeadon when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed between the villages of Addingham and Ilkley, Yorkshire. A crewmen was seriously injured while all six other occupants were killed. Unfortunately, the only survivor died a day later. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was about 40 miles off the intended track.
Crew:
Donald George McLeod, pilot,
Felix Byrne, flight engineer,
Lewis Riggs, navigator,
Robert Henry Rahn, bomb aimer,
William George King, wireless operator,
George Martin, air gunner,
Albert Lorne Mullen, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 440 Wellington X in Buurse: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1943 at 0125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 440 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
HE281
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
Location:
Buurse
Overijssel
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Dishforth in the evening of May 23 on a bombing mission over Dortmund. While overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (426th Squadron):
Sgt L. G. Sutherland 4.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Kettlewell

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9481
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2443
YOM:
1942
Location:
Kettlewell
North Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2029LT on March 27 on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Unable to locate the target area due to poor weather conditions, the crew decided to return to base the following morning. The airplane strayed off course until it impacted the slope of Mt Great Whernside located two miles northeast of Kittlewell. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Ernest Clow, pilot,
P/O Arthur Scott, pilot,
Sgt Richard Stanley Ryder, observer,
Sgt George Fraser MacKay, wireless operator,
Sgt William Arthur Jones, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Henry Craven, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Ilkley

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0510 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9274
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2338
YOM:
1941
Location:
Ilkley
West Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2024LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Due to poor weather conditions over the target area, the crew was unable to locate Saint-Nazaire and returned to base. On the return leg, the airplane drifted off course to the west. In low visibility over high ground, it impacted the ground and crashed two miles south of Ilkley. All five crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Graham Bray, pilot,
P/O P. D. Smith, observer,
Sgt Harold Downs Reeder, wireless operator,
Sgt George Hugh Whyte, wireless operator,
P/O John Bryce Duncan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into The Channel

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9304
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2368
YOM:
1941
Location:
The Channel
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2033LT on March 27 on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. While returning to base the following night, it came down in The Channel and sank. After spending 10 hours in their dinghy, all five crew members were rescued by a minesweeper.
Crew:
F/Sgt Grey,
F/O Whitworth,
P/O Leslie Lisle Orchard,
Sgt Shine,
Sgt Humphreys.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Meppen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942 at 2036 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9315
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2379
YOM:
1941
Location:
Meppen
Lower Saxony
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1703LT on a leaflet dropping mission over Germany (Nickel operation). It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Meppen. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Harvey Jennings Grut, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Alfred Hamilton, pilot, †
Sgt Charles Henry Stokell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Alfred Waterworth, air gunner, †
Sgt Vincent Sylvester Mancini.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Schiermonnikoog Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9423
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
MSN:
2401
YOM:
1942
Location:
Schiermonnikoog Island
Friesland
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 Dishforth at 1712LT on an operation to Emden. While flying along the Dutch coast at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and is believed to have crashed into the sea some 50 km off Schiermonnikoog Island. Lost without trace. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William John Atwell,
Sgt Hugh Stainger Brown,
F/Sgt Henry Grey-Noble,
Sgt Norman Stead,
P/O John Frederick Wright.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Terschelling: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1942 at 2238 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9311
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2375
YOM:
1941
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
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 Dishforth at 1734LT on an operation to Emden. While returning to base in the late evening, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed into the sea some 40 km west of Terschelling. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James Joseph Clarke,
F/Sgt Bernard Leslie Hart,
Sgt Donald Arthur Richards,
P/O Bernard Sides,
Sgt Norman Viner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Terschelling: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1942 at 2145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9301
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2365
YOM:
1941
Location:
Terschelling
Friesland
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 Dishforth at 1720LT on an operation to Emden. Flying along the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed into the sea off Terschelling. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James Thomas Thom, pilot,
Sgt Bertie Bowring,
P/O George Thomas Ellis,
Sgt Frederick Ralph Isaacs,
Sgt John Mayes,
Sgt William John Sullivan.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Rottevalle: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942 at 2215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9424
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2403
YOM:
1942
Location:
Rottevalle
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1758LT on an operation to Emden. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Rottevalle. Three crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Eric John Richards, pilot, †
Sgt Henry Conway Needham, copilot,
F/Sgt Sydney Clarence Camp, observer, †
Sgt Gerard Sinclair Booth, wireless operator,
Sgt William Douglas Muirhead, wireless operator,
Sgt Reginald James White, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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