Driffield AFB

Operator:

Registration:

W5575

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2341LT on April 17 on an operation to Hamburg. Over the North Sea, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Edward Alan Olliver,
Sgt William Waddell Chapman,
Sgt Stanley Hextall,
Sgt Frederick John Keeler,
Sgt Arthur Charles May.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942 at 0325 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z8490

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

Location:

Schiefbahn

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2222LT on April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Schiefbahn, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Fitzpatrick Vane Winkle, pilot,
P/O Andrew Downie, observer,
Sgt Jean Jaques Gabriel Hall, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas Strang, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth William Barker, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0207 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W5525

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

Location:

Budberg

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2208LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. Approaching Duisburg, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Budberg. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Wilfred Morgan Protheroe, pilot,
P/O Graham Peter Elliott, pilot,
Sgt Colin Raymond Harper, navigator,
Sgt Frank Swinburn, wireless operator,
Sgt Ralph Harry Crews, wireless operator,
Sgt William Macthett Mahaffy, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Cologne

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1942 at 0102 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W5358

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

Location:

Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2212LT on April 12 on an operation to Essen. Over Cologne, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the city center. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O P. D. McMillan,
P/O W. H. J. Griffiths,
Sgt M. F. Mulvey,
Sgt S. F. G. Clayton,
Sgt V. D. McKernan.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

W5482

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2201LT to drop leaflets in the region of Lille. Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some 8 km off Ostend. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Walter David Amos, pilot,
Sgt Ian Mactaggat Mackirdy, observer,
Sgt Douglas Harold Till, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Basil Edwin Whitbread, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Thomas Anthony Frederick Davies, air gunner.

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

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1942 at 0104 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

Z8511

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2205LT on April 8 on an operation to Hamburg. Over the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Ohlendorf, south of Hamburg. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Henry Wisher, pilot,
F/O Harold Leslie Croydon, navigator,
Sgt Roy Staley, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt James William Cornthwaite, air gunner,
Sgt Edward Clement Bratt, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I near RAF Driffield: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 9, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8674

Flight Phase:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Church Fenton - Church Fenton

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The pilot departed RAF Church Fenton on a night training solo flight. While flying at an altitude of 5,500 feet, he lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in the vicinity of RAF Driffield. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Harry James Beck, pilot.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Driffield: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 10, 1942 at 0250 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

W5431

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

Location:

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 1934LT on March 9 on an operation to Essen. While returning to base the following night, it crashed upon landing and was destroyed. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured.
Crew:
F/Lt George Gordon Duff, pilot, †
Sgt Colin Albert Cornwell, pilot, †
P/O Douglas Albert Edward Clarke, observer, †
Sgt Harry James Evans, wireless operator, †
Sgt Leslie James Caldwell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Eric William Clark, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Arden Great Moor: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 16, 1942 at 0005 LT

Type of aircraft: