Heligoland Island

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Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

2147

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 2238LT on June 27 on an operation to Bremen. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Heligoland Island. A crew was killed and four others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Garrick David Jackson, †
Sgt Eric William Gordon Dickey,
P/O Robert George Poulter,
Sgt Neville Jannison Ranson,
Sgt John Laing Dewar Morrison Urquh.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Heligoland Island: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 21, 1941

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Registration:

L9272

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Great Massingham - Great Massingham

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The airplane departed RAF Great Massingham at 1400LT on an anti-shipping operation. Approaching Heligoland Island, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea. A crew was killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Douglas John Robert Craig, †
Sgt Robert George Ratcliffe,
Sgt Frederick John Joseph Smith.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Heligoland Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1941

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Registration:

V6372

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Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1102LT on an anti-shipping mission. While approaching Heligoland Islands, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William Vernon Fillingham,
Sgt Reginald Percival Mayers,
P/O James Flockhart Thom Ogilvie.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Heligoland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1941 at 0515 LT

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Registration:

R1506

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Mildenhall - Mildenhall

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The airplane departed RAF Mildenhall at 2210LT on May 8 on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 10 km north of Heligoland Island. Four crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Cyril Robertson Burch, pilot, †
Sgt William George Hugh Dauncey, wireless operator, †
Sgt John Alfred Keates, wireless operator, †
P/O David Martin, observer, †
Sgt D. Westmacott,
Sgt G. D. K. Jones.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Heligoland Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1941

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Registration:

T1814

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Watton - Watton

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1028LT to attack a convoy off Heligoland Island. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Leslie William Bacon,
Sgt Alan Chester Bonnett,
P/O Herbert Kitchener Marshall.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Heligoland Island: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1941

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Registration:

V5855

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Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

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Watton - Watton

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1028LT to attack a convoy off Heligoland Island. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt John Dunning, pilot,
Sgt Peter Hope, observer,
Sgt James Harold Bruce, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Heligoland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1940

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Registration:

P4396

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Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

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Hemswell - Hemswell

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The airplane departed RAF Hemswell on an operation to Hamburg. It is believed that it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Heligoland Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Colin Deans Chapman,
P/O John Graham Langford,
Sgt Clarence Edward Russell,
Sgt Robert Sinclair.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Heligoland

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1940 at 0205 LT

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Registration:

N1496

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Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

1636

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2058 on July 8 on a bombing mission over Kiel. En route to the target area, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crash landed into the sea off Heligoland Island. All five crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Douglas Anthony French-Mullen,
P/O Wilfred Anthony Kettlewell Carr,
Sgt Peter Roy Donaldson,
Sgt John Powell Atkinson,
AC1 Alexander George Williamson Miller.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Heligoland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 152 Beaufort

Operator:

Registration:

L4450

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