Great Massingham AFB

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Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

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Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1209LT on an operation to Boulogne. Over the target area, it was hit by the German Flak and the crew decided to return to base. Approaching the British coast, the airplane was ditched in The Channel off Dover. Two crew members were killed and two others were rescued by a Royal Navy vessel.
Crew:
P/O Harry Neal, †
Cpl Donald Parr Thwaite, †
Sgt S. R. G. Adams,
Sgt P. Brady.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III at RAF Thorney Island

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1942

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Registration:

W8388

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

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Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

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Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1440LT on an operation to Le Havre. Hit by the German Flak over the target area, it subsequently crashed upon landing after it diverted to RAF Thorney Island. All three crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Barker, pilot,
F/Sgt Attwood, observer,
Sgt Hastings, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Attacked by the German Flak.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III in Flitcham: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 19, 1942 at 1100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

W8319

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The crew departed RAF Great Massingham at 1050LT for a formation flying exercise. After takeoff, he lagged behind the rest of the flight and at an altitude of 800 feet, the airplane was seen to turn back to towards the airfield. Moments later, the Boston banked steeply and crashed at 1100LT and crashed into a wood located southeast of Flitcham. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Silas Harry Bridge, pilot,
Sgt Thomas Frederick Peter Poole, observer,
Sgt Crawford Christie Wilson, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Great Massingham

Date & Time: Aug 5, 1941 at 1325 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

Z7491

Flight Phase:

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Survivors:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Site:

Schedule:

Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1125LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was damaged by enemy fire and the crew was able to return to base where the airplane crashed upon landing. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
S/L Eustace Sweeting Barnes, pilot,
Sgt M. Roberts, observer,
F/Sgt Leonard Charles Williams, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Vlissingen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1941

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Registration:

N3568

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Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1119LT on an anti-shipping operation. It was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed in the estuary of the Schelde off Vlissingen. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Hugh Frederick Thomson, pilot,
P/O Alasdair Charles MacPherson, observer,
F/Sgt Leonard Charles Williams, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Ostend: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 1, 1941

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Registration:

Z7498

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Schedule:

Manston - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed Manston at 1119LT on an anti-shipping operation. While approaching the Belgian coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Ostend. The pilot was killed and two other crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Cullen Eric Powell, pilot, †
Sgt Henry Emmanuel Hunt,
Sgt Michael Roberts.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off IJmuiden: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1941 at 1235 LT

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Registration:

Z7487

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Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1120LT on an anti-shipping operation. While flying along the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off IJmuiden. Two crew members were killed and a third was rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
W/Cdr Arthur Frank Calvert Booth, pilot, †
F/Sgt Colin Gordon Goodfellow, †
Sgt Thomas Scott.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Ouddorp: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 6, 1941

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Registration:

T1824

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Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 0934LT on a maritime patrol flight. While cruising along the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Ouddorp. The wireless operator was killed and both other occupants were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt David Thompson Brett,
Sgt Denis William MacAlister,
Sgt Leslie Gordon Dicks.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Bremen: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 4, 1941

Type of aircraft:

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Registration:

V6193

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