Merville | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 1120LT to bomb a power station at Lille. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Merville, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt James William Stanley, pilot,
F/Sgt Denis Arthur Huntley, observer,
F/Sgt Laurence Henry Wood Smith, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Merville: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V6085

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Wattisham - Wattisham

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The airplane departed RAF Wattisham at 1120LT to bomb a power station at Lille. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Merville. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Arthur Roland Carvell, pilot,
Sgt Alexander Richard Batch, observer, †
F/Sgt James Timothy Melvin, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P off Felixstowe: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 19, 1940 at 0115 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

5J+?M

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Merville - Merville

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The airplane departed Merville Airport to bomb RAF Mildenhall. Approaching Felixstowe, it was shot down by an RAF fighter and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Hptm Hermann Prochnow, pilot,
Oberfw Hermann Wojis, radio operator,
Uffz Franz Heyeres,
Fw Richard Bunk, mechanic.

Probable cause:

Shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.27 Ensign in Merville

Date & Time: May 23, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.27 Ensign

Operator:

Registration:

G-ADSZ

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

AW.1164

YOM:

1935

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The aircraft was performing an international flight when over France, it was attacked by enemy fire. The crew diverted to Merville-Calonne Airport but on final approach, the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. There were no casualties.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Fokker F7a in Estaires

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1927

Type of aircraft:

Fokker F7

Operator:

Registration:

G-EBPL

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Croydon - Amsterdam

MSN:

4938

YOM:

1926

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Circumstances:

Previously owned by a British Operator, the aircraft was recovered by Fokker and was on a ferry flight from Croydon to Amsterdam. While cruising south of Lille, France, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and attempted an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an open field located in Estaires, 5 km east of Merville Airport. While both occupants were uninjured, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.