Edale

The aircraft was on a flight from Middleton St. George to Birmingham, and the crew of one pilot and one photographer planned to complete several photographic survey jobs en route. Shortly after sunset, when flying at 2,000 ft. a.m.s.l. at an estimated position five miles west of Sheffield and near high ground rising to 2,000 ft. a.m.s.l., the pilot decided that the fuel remaining was insufficient to reach Birmingham with the existing headwind of 40 knots. He established contact with Manchester Approach Control and was given permission to divert to Manchester Airport on a special VFR clearance "not above 3,500 ft. a.m.s.l. on a QNH of 1013 mbs., clear of all cloud, and in sight of the surface". Shortly after this, when on a north-westerly heading to intercept a QDM of 270°M to the 'ME' (Manchester) beacon, the pilot saw hill tops about four miles ahead and commenced climbing from 2,000 ft. to 3,500 ft. The pilot states that the aircraft entered cloud at 2,500 ft. and that, on reaching 2,700 ft., he noticed that the vertical speed indicator was showing a descent of 2,000 ft./min. He states that he applied full power and eased the nose up but, after this, he remembers nothing further until he regained consciousness lying on the ground, alongside the photographer in front of the wrecked aircraft.

The crew was performing a training sortie from RAF Seighford. Enroute, while cruising at a too low altitude, the twin engine aircraft hit a hill and crashed between Chinley and Edale. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were seriously injured.
Crew (21st AFU):
F/O Edgar Croker, pilot,
F/O John Downthwaite, pilot,
W/O George Robinson, instructor.

The pilot, sole on board, was killed when the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in the region of Edale, while completing a training mission.

The crew was performing a training sortie from RAF Warboys. While cruising at low altitude in poor visibility, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Rushup Edge located southwest of Edale. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were injured.
Crew (PFNT):
F/Lt Brian Gipson, pilot,
F/Lt Douglas Ivor Jones, copilot,
F/Lt William John Barclay, navigator,
F/O Victor Percival Skone-Rees, bomber.

The crew was performing a training mission from RAF Newton to RAF Millom. While cruising in cloudy conditions, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt Edale Moor located in the Kinder Scout National Nature Reserve, northwest of Edale. All five occupants were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (16th FTS):
F/Lt A. Chelstowski, pilot,
F/Sgt S. Pasinski, wireless operator.
Passengers:
F/Lt A. Mecinski,
F/Lt Witold Suida,
F/O Jan Kilmczak.
Source & photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrictn9853.htm

The crew, stationed at Snaith in Yorkshire were taking part in a raid against the German city of Frankfurt. The outward leg proceeded normally until shortly after they had released their bomb load over the target area. The aircraft was illuminated by a searchlight and engaged by flak and a night fighter sustaining hits to the port inner engine setting it alight and the No.2 fuel tank. The pilot took evasive action by corkscrewing the aircraft from 19,000 feet to 9,000 feet successfully evading further contact. As well as the fuel loss from the damage to one of the tanks, the loss of the port inner engine meant that some functions were also lost. Most could be carried out entirely manually but the engines generator provided power to the aircraft's batteries that powered the mid-upper turret, beam approach radio equipment and the R1154 / T1155 radio. These would work only as long as the charge remained in the batteries. The aircraft passed its turning points as far as Reading, shortly after the radio failed as the batteries had been drained. The weather at this point had deteriorated with low cloud and rain, effectively removing any chance of seeing landmarks such as rivers which would aid in locating Snaith, or another airfield. Eventually the pilot began to descend through the cloud to be able to find landmarks but while still in cloud, and virtually out of fuel, the aircraft flew into the ground on Blackden Edge. The aircraft broke up over a fairly wide area, most of the crew who died were killed in the crash but the Sergeant Lane survived the crash but was severely injured and died before help, summoned by Sgt Mack, arrived the following day.
Crew (51st Squadron):
Sgt Ernest Hatfield Fenning, pilot, †
W/O Jean Gilbert Felix Fortin, navigator, †
Sgt Eric George Lane, flight engineer, †
Sgt Victor Garland, bomb aimer,
Sgt Frank Allan Squibbs, wireless operator, †
Sgt Boris Karl Short, air gunner, †
Sgt James B. Mack, air gunner.
Source:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistricthr727.htm

The aircraft left RAF Croft at 1651LT on a bombing mission to Lorient. While returning to his base by night, the crew encountered poor visibility. The bomber hit the slope of Mt Kinder Scout located northwest of Edale and was destroyed by impact forces. All six crew members were injured.
Crew (427th Squadron):
F/Lt Carroll Alfred Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Lyndon George Southwood, copilot,
P/O Donald Mortimer, bomb aimer,
P/O George Albert Martin, navigator,
Sgt Anthony David Deane, wireless operator,
Sgt William Lumsden, air gunner.

The airplane departed RAF Snaith in the evening of July 30 on an operation to Cologne. En route, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions and decided to return to base. While flying at low height, the bomber impacted the slope of a hill near Edale. Five crew members were killed and a sixth occupant was seriously injured.
Crew (150th Squadron):
Sgt Percival Harold Charles Parrot, pilot, †
Sgt Joseph Arthur Haswell, pilot, †
Sgt Jack Douglas Evelle, observer, †
Sgt Frederick Kenneth Webber, wireless operator , †
Sgt Dennis Aloysius Monk, air gunner, †
Sgt Earl Tilley, air gunner.