Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 near Driffield

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1950
Type of aircraft:
Avro 694 Lincoln
Operator:
Registration:
SX981
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Driffield AFB
East 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 crew was completing a night training sortie on behalf of the 101st Squadron. En route, an engine caught fire. All six crew members decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Driffield. While all six crew members were uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 619 Wellington X in RAF Driffield: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1947
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 619 Wellington X
Operator:
Registration:
RP520
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Driffield AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to RAF Drieffield, the crew encountered control problems and informed ground that he was attempting an emergency landing. Few seconds later, the aircraft nosed down and crashed in a huge explosion few hundred yards short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control on final approach caused by the failure of several bolts on an elevator.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Meiderich: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0201 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5392
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Meiderich
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2337LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Approaching Duisburg, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Meiderich. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ralph Connors O'Brien, pilot,
P/O Wilson Albert Reason, observer,
Sgt Alfred Schofield, wireless operator,
F/O Grey D'Estoteville Townsend Skipwith, air gunner,
Sgt William Leonard Waller, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Serooskerke: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0114 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
Z8577
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Serooskerke
Zeeland
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 Driffield at 2319LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the Scheldt River off Serooskerke. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Donald Joseph Harkness, pilot,
P/O Alexander Robertson Edgar, observer,
P/O Hubert Alan Radcliffe, wireless operator,
Sgt Hill Mercer, wireless operator,
F/Lt Bernard James Lovett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: May 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley
Operator:
Registration:
Z9307
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
2371
YOM:
1941
Location:
Weert
Limburg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at2310LT on May 30 on an operation to Cologne. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Weert, north of Bornem, Belgium. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L John Alain Stobart Russell, pilot, †
P/O Dennis Grant Box, pilot,
F/Sgt James Herbert Godbehere, observer, †
F/O Dennis Wilson Foster, wireless operator,
Sgt William Harding Orman, air gunner. †

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Hanstorf: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1942 at 0201 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5387
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Hanstorf
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
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 Driffield at 2241LT on May 8 on an operation to Warnemünde. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed near the village of Hanstorf, west of Rostock. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Eric George Seaward, pilot, †
Sgt Kenneth George Armstrong, observer, †
F/Sgt Afred Harold Hayward, wireless operator,
Sgt Roy Smith, air gunner, †
Sgt Hugh Russell Strain, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Rostock: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1942 at 0156 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
Z8600
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
City
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Rostock
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
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 Driffield at 2226LT on May 8 on an operation to Warnemünde. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Rostock. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Joseph Davison, pilot, †
P/O Victor Emanuel George Goss, observer, †
Sgt Geoffrey Frederick Dunks, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric Hollows, wireless operator, †
Sgt James Anthony Upham, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Rövershagen: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
Z8439
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Rövershagen
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2156LT on May 8 on an operation to Warnemünde. Over the target area, it went out of control and crashed near the village of Rövershagen, northeast of Rostock. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Alexander John Reid, pilot,
P/O John Derrick Forbes Weet, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Valentine Kay, observer,
Sgt Joseph Dodds, wireless operator,
Sgt Shaun Craving Preston, wireless operator,
Sgt Wilfred Lawson Taylor, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Warnemünde: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5562
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
Warnemünde
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2230LT on May 8 on an operation to Warnemünde. Approaching the target area, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Ian Wynn Davies, pilot,
Sgt John Peter Dixon Clarke, observer,
F/Sgt Charles Stacey Neveu, wireless operator,
P/O Robert MacFarlane Graham, wireless operator,
Sgt Neville Christian Stocker, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II into the North Sea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
Z8525
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2128LT on April 29 on an operation to Ostend. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt John Edwin Travers Saunders, pilot,
F/Sgt Horace Kempton Bedwell, observer,
Sgt Douglas Ronald Freear, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Gordon Randolph Lefebvre, wireless operator,
Sgt Herbert Reginald Frank Wakeford, air gunner.
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