Dishforth AFB

Operator:

Registration:

Z6556

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

2027

YOM:

1941

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1856LT on March 3 on an operation to Brest. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Trébeurden, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Lt James Harrington, pilot,
Sgt John Kirkwood Purdon, pilot,
Sgt Cecil Calvert, wireless operator,
Sgt Daniel Gilfillan Farmer, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Halford Knighton, observer.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Manston: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1941 at 2120 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4299

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

1952

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1900LT on an operation to Brest. It was shot down at 2120LT by the pilot of a Hurricane registered V6960 and crash landed in Manston, Dorset. A crew was killed and four others were injured:
Crew:
P/O N. E. Sharp,
F/O R. C. Alabaster,
Sgt J. A. Gibson,
Sgt L. U. Allum,
Sgt William Norman Brindley, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

Mistakenly shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Helenaveen: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 27, 1941 at 2305 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z6470

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

1982

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1929LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. While passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Helenaveen. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Alan Kingsley Mills, pilot,
P/O Kenneth Frank Seager, pilot,
S/Lt P. S. Hoad, observer,
Sgt Ernest Alfred Francis Grunsell, wireless operator,
Sgt Jack Mitchell, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Pilsum

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1941 at 0530 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P5108

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1816

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1932LT on March 1st on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following morning, a radio communication was recorded at 0524LT. Six minutes later, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crash landed in the Waddenzee off Pilsum. All five crew members were injured, among them three were later killed when the He.115 that was transferring them crashed upon landing at Borkum.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald Smith, pilot,
Sgt Reginald Vere Huston, observer,
Sgt Ernest Frederick Matthews, wireless operator,
Sgt V. W. Bruce,
Sgt A. Mather.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1941 at 0140 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1481

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1621

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1914LT on March 1st on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following night, it was lost without trace, maybe after it crashed somewhere in the North Sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Douglas Corbett Beddow,
Sgt Edward Sinclair Cameron Halsall,
Sgt Eric Hughes,
Sgt George Henry Carter,
Sgt Kenneth John Cooper.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N1525

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

1653

YOM:

1939

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1901LT on March 1st on an operation to Cologne. The following night, the crew reported a successful mission and was returning to base when the airplane was lost without trace. It is possible that it crashed somewhere in the North Sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt James William Quincey,
P/O Mervyn James David,
Sgt Raymond Clark,
Sgt Roy Bradbury,
Sgt Joseph Gerald Earley.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V into the North Sea: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1941 at 0500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4934

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1661

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1858LT on February 26 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following morning, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy snow. With failing engines and an unserviceable radio, the captain ordered the crew to bail out. But only two complied before the airplane crashed into the North Sea off the Durham coast. The two crew who bailed out were rescued while three others were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ian Harrington Fenton, †
Sgt John Anderson Patterson, †
Sgt John Bowes, †
Sgt Clarke,
P/O Carter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Craig: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1941 at 0445 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

P4996

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1718

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1845LT on February 26 on an operation to Cologne. While returning to base the following morning, it strayed off track and impacted the slope of a hill located three miles east of Craig, Scotland. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
W/C Gerald Thomas Toland, pilot,
Sgt George Alexander Forsyth, pilot,
P/O Donald Henry Gates, observer,
Sgt Goerge Russell Armstrong, wireless operator,
Sgt Morman Leslie Lane, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Sutton Bank

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1941

Type of aircraft: