Elsham Wolds AFB

The crew left RAF Elsham Wolds at the end of the day on a bombing mission to Saarbrücken, Germany. While overflying Germany by night, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The captain reduced his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing in a field but the aircraft eventually stalled and crashed into the Laacher Lake, north of Mending. Four crew members were killed while three others were injured. The aircraft sunk and was lost.
Crew (103rd Squadron):
Sgt H. G. Dryhurst, pilot,
Sgt J. W. Platt, flight engineer, †
Sgt A. A. Roberts, navigator,
P/O V. M. M. Morrison, bomb aimer, †
F/S J. J. Carey, wireless operator, †
Sgt B. F. Hughes, air gunner,
Sgt J. L. MacLachlan, air gunner. †

The crew left RAF Elsham Wolds at 2054LT on a bombing mission to Essen, Germany. While overflying The Netherlands by night at an altitude of 3,500 meters, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot (Cpt Wolfgang Thimmig Stab III/NJG1) of a German fighter and crashed in flames in a field located in Buurserveen, about 4 km south of Haaksbergen, near the German border. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (103rd Squadron):
F/Lt J. R. Frith,
Sgt W. Duncombe,
P/O E. A. R. Briant,
Sgt G. H. Wilson,
F/S B. S. Blundall,
Sgt J. D. Craig,
P/O P. G. Hopkins.

The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2055LT on March 28 on an operation to Lübeck. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and is believed to have crashed in the sea somewhere off Heligoland Island. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O John Edward Ward, pilot,
Sgt Erskine Peter Wright, pilot,
Sgt John Robert Dodd,
Sgt Hugh Ian Fraser,
Sgt Andrew Albert Sidney Harris, wireless operator,
F/O Bertram John Fyson, air gunner.

The crew departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2027LT on March 25 on an operation to Essen. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak, which holed petrol tanks and rendered the airplane's hydraulic system unserviceable. Shortly after midnight, while approaching the British coast, the crew ditched the airplane some five miles off Orford Ness on the Suffolk coast. All six crew members were rescued and the airplane was lost.
Crew:
Sgt G. O. John,
Sgt A. Talky,
Sgt C. S. Campbell,
Sgt S. Albiston,
Sgt T. K. Wright,
Sgt G. Thompson.

The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 1452 on 'Operation Fuller'. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crash landed in the sea off Hoek van Holland. Two crew members were killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Ian Kingston Pembroke Cross, pilot,
F/Sgt Donald Richard George Holmes, †
Sgt Melville James, †
Sgt William Charles Donald Gallop,
F/Lt Richard Mannering Phillips,
Sgt R. A. Shelby.

The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 1742LT on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Hollenstedt. Five crew members were killed and a sixth was injured and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Samuel Dainton, pilot, †
Sgt Ambrose Bowen Thomas, pilot, †
F/Sgt Eric Twelves, observer, †
Sgt Arthur Stockdale, wireless operator, †
Sgt T. B. Lewis, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Gilbert Peter Mallon Hardesty, air gunner. †

The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 1740LT on an operation to Emden. While returning to base in the evening, the port engine failed. Unable to maintain height, the bomber stalled and crashed on final approach to the airfield and was damaged beyond repair. All six crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O Ward,
Sgt Wright,
Sgt Kellough,
Sgt Hyman,
Sgt Harris,
Sgt Thompson.

The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 1827LT on an operation to Mannheim. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Choloy-Ménillot, about 6 km southwest of Toul. The pilot was killed, four others became PoW and a sixth evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Clifford William Onions, pilot,
F/Lt Elvey Vincent Lawson,
Sgt Harry Mossley,
Sgt William Samuel Coldwell Partridge,
Sgt Charles Llewellyn Williams,
Sgt A. W. Mills.

The airplane departed RAF Elsham Wolds at 2122LT on October 24 on an operation to Frankfurt. While returning to base the following morning, the crew got lost. The airplane continued over the Irish Sea and Ireland, and as it ran out of fuel, was abandoned by the crew. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed in Clonwhite, two miles northwest of Kilmihil, County Clare, and was totally destroyed. All six crew members parachuted to safety and were interned.
Crew:
P/O Ralph Gardner Keefer, pilot,
Sgt Leslie George Diaper, pilot,
P/O John Philip Calder, observer,
Sgt Albert Colin Dalton, radio operator,
Sgt Maurice Bertram Brown, air gunner,
Sgt Alexander Virtue, air gunner.

The crew was returning to base at RAF Elsham Wolds following an operation to Frankfurt. Because the airplane ran out of fuel, it was abandoned by the crew and crashed in a pasture located 4 miles northwest of Market Rasen. All six occupants were uninjured while the airplane was destroyed.
Crew (103rd Squadron):
P/O Ken H. Wallis +5.