Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Marham

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3715
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Marham. Upon landing, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane came to rest. All seven crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt Tompkins,
Sgt Savage,
Sgt Scammell,
Sgt Carroll,
Sgt Barnes,
Sgt Brooks,
Sgt Howes.
Probable cause:
Failure of the undercarriage caused by a broken pylon at the lower bolt attachment.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Marham: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1942 at 2111 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1563
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local night training exercise at RAF Marham. Following several circuits, the crew initiated the approach when he encountered adverse weather and severe icing conditions. Control was lost and the airplane crashed near the airbase, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Hewett Faith, pilot,
F/Sgt Donald Joseph Maskill, pilot,
Sgt Robert Miller Shaw, observer,
Sgt Ronald Frederick Bishop, wireless operator,
Sgt Stanley Arthur Orford, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Sidney Carl Lester, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Severe icing, leading to almost total glazing of the windscreen, was a contributory factor.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Powerstock

Date & Time: Dec 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9785
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 1840LT on an operation to Brest. The starboard engine failed and after his crew have bailed out, the pilot crash-landed at Holm Farm near Powerstock and escaped uninjured. All five other crew parachuted to safety, except one who broke a leg.
Crew:
Sgt Vezina,
Sgt Harding,
P/O Brown,
Sgt Willett,
Sgt Toynbee-Clark,
Sgt Crump.
Probable cause:
Failure of the starboard engine in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington in Upavon

Date & Time: Dec 12, 1941 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5727
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 1520LT on an operation to Brest. The port engine caught fire while outbound, and the crew were ordered to bail out. The pilot diverted to RAF Upavon where the airplane crash landed and was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt Brewerton,
Sgt Longmore,
Sgt Cox,
P/O Taylor,
Sgt Williamson,
Sgt McDonald.
Probable cause:
The left engine caught fire after takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Wells-next-the-Sea

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1941 at 2306 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z1103
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 1715LT on an operation to Emden. It ditched at 2306LT off Wells-next-the-Sea. The pilot decided to put the bomber down in the sea, rather than land on the beach which, he supposed, might be mined. After being picked up by the combined efforts of the Wells life boat and an RAF ASR, Sgt Helfer was told that he had been correct in his assumptions. Earlier, it is believed the Wellington was hit by Flak.
Crew:
Sgt Helfer,
Sgt Taylor,
Sgt Ross,
Sgt Adamson,
Sgt Purcell,
Sgt England.
Probable cause:
Hot by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near March: 9 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8863
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham on a training exercise. It crashed two miles north of March, following a low-flying accident during which the Wellington collided with a line of railway trucks on the March to Spalding line. All nine crew members were killed, among them three members of the ground staff who joined the flight for air experience flying.
Crew:
Sgt George Robert Bruce, pilot,
Sgt Percival Miles Taylor, pilot,
Sgt Henry Norman O'Shea, observer,
Sgt Percy George Crosbie, wireless operator,
Sgt William Myrddin Evans, wireless operator,
Sgt Ernest Alfred Lawrence, air gunner,
Cpl James Crosby Fox,
Sgt Jack Dix,
AC2 Gordon Sydney Wakefield.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Marske: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8853
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2141LT on November 15 on an operation to Kiel. The following night, it encountered very bad weather conditions and crashed in Marske. A crew was killed and five others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Lloyd Allan Collins, wireless operator, †
Sgt G. Niblo,
Sgt A. B. Gordon,
Sgt Forsyth,
Sgt Birks,
Sgt Slatford.

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

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1135
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2243LT on November 15 on an operation to Kiel. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Alan Cook,
Sgt Kenneth David Deadman,
Sgt Jack Burton Drury, observer,
F/Sgt Robert Edmund Glenny,
Sgt Robert Ville Hannam,
Sgt Fred Charles Reeve.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Whitby

Date & Time: Nov 16, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8848
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2148LT on November 15 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, it was ditched in the sea some 10 miles east of Whitby and sank. All six crew members were rescued by a destroyer crewed by Norwegian sailors.
Crew:
P/O J. F. Stock,
Sgt J. A. Weller,
P/O J. B. Maher,
Sgt V. C. Baker,
Sgt H. L. Suckling,
Sgt J. J. Roche.

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

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X9888
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 1732LT on an operation to Emden. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Sgt Alan Christopher Homes,
Sgt John Miller Horsley,
Sgt Richard Henry Huckett,
Sgt Ralph William Platten,
Sgt George Reginald Ruscoe,
Sgt Frank Seeley Thomas.