East Wretham AFB

Operator:

Registration:

R1046

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

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The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1855LT on an operation to Bremen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed on a sandbank in the Waddenzee, some 7 km south of the Schiermonnikoog Island. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Frantisek Petr,
Sgt Vaclav Prochazka,
Sgt Josef Susa,
Sgt Bedrich Valner,
F/Lt Erazim Vesely,
Sgt Josef Zvolensky.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Andervenne: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1941 at 2330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1015

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

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The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 1955LT on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Andervenne. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Zdenek Babicek,
Sgt Alois Jarnot,
Sgt Jan Miklosek,
F/O Mojmir Sedlacek,
Sgt Vilem Soukup,
P/O Antonin Zimmer.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the Waddenzee: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1371

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

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The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 2252LT on July 19 on an operation to Hanover. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in the Waddenzee. All six crew members were killed.
crew:
Sgt Vaclav Netik, pilot,
Sgt Pavel Babacek,
Sgt Jan Čtvrtlik,
Sgt Miroslav Jindra,
P/O Jaroslav Partyk,
Sgt Vaclav Vales.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF East Wretham

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941 at 1145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1804

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

Location:

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Circumstances:

The crew was engaged in a local test flight at RAF East Wretham. During the takeoff roll, the airplane developed an uncontrolled swing and crashed into a steam roller, ripping off the starboard wing and badly crushing the forward fuselage. The airplane caught fire and the crew was injured.
Crew:
F/O J. Stransky +3.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Lemmer: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1941 at 0040 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1718

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 2307LT on July 16 on an operation to Hamburg. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in the IJsselmeer off Lemmer. A crew was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Jiri Mares,
F/Lt Otakar Cerny,
Sgt Frantisek Knap,
Sgt Jaroslav Nyc,
Sgt Karel Stastny,
P/O Jaroslav Zafouk.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Mere: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1516

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 2202LT on July 1st on an operation to Cherbourg. While returning to base the following night, it was mistakenly shot down by the pilot of a British fighter and crashed in Mere. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Adolf Dolejs,
P/O Richard Hapala,
Sgt Oldrich Helma,
Sgt Jaroslav Lancik,
Sgt Jaroslav Petrucha,
Sgt Antonin Plocek.

Probable cause:

Mistakenly shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Nieuwe Niedorp: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1941 at 0213 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T2990

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

Location:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF East Wretham at 2316LT on June 22 on an operation to Bremen. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Nieuwe Niedorp. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Jan Hejna, †
P/O Vilem Konstacky, †
F/Sgt Alois Rozum, †
P/O Leonard Smrcek, †
F/Sgt Karel Valach, †
Sgt Vilem Bifka.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Baexem: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1941 at 2339 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

R1599

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

East Wretham - East Wretham

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF East Wretham az 2055LT on an operation to Berlin. While passing over the Netherlands at night, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.110 and crashed in Baexem. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Vaclav Kosulic,
Sgt Frantisek Kracmer,
F/O Vladimir Kubicek,
Sgt Rudolf Lifcic,
F/O Frank Sixta,
Sgt Vaclav Stetka.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF East Wretham

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1941 at 0020 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

R1441

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors: