Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Bluntisham: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6087
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Bluntisham
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1458LT on an operation to Brest. Returning to base, the port outer engine caught fire and the pilot decided to make an emergency landing. While doing so, the bomber flew into telephone wires and crashed near Bluntisham. Four crew members were killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Paul Comroe, air gunner, †
F/O James Albert Lopez, †
F/O John Thompson O'Brien, pilot, †
Sgt James Edward Rose, pilot, †
Sgt T. J. Ryder,
Sgt J. Devlin,
Sgt M. A. Sullivan,
Sgt A. Grant.
Probable cause:
Engine fire and explosion in flight.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Oakington: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 15, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
W7445
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Oakington
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington on an operation to Kiel. Almost immediately after takeoff, it went out of control and crashed onto a house. A crew was killed and six other occupants were injured. Few hours later, the pilot died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Ian Hamish Hunter, pilot, †
Sgt Arthur Charles Bennett, †
Sgt W. D. Topping,
Sgt A. J. Ansell,
Sgt W. P. Hudson,
Sgt W. Helliwell,
Sgt T. Bentham.
Probable cause:
Glazed ice on the windscreen was a contributory factor in the crash.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near Duisburg: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941 at 2044 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N3677
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Duisburg
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1731LT on an operation to Berlin. Approaching Duisburg, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt John Edwin Chadwick, pilot,
F/O Douglas Byrd Van Buskirk, pilot,
Sgt Sidney John Fenson, flight engineer,
P/O George Edward Sweeney, observer,
Sgt Cyril Murch, wireless operator,
Sgt Donald Stronach, wireless operator,
Sgt Derek Gordon Pack, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Spijkenisse: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941 at 0050 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6091
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Spijkenisse
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1742LT on November 7 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Spijkenisse, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Michael Stanley Jacobs, pilot,
Sgt James William Cooper Morris, pilot,
Sgt Cecil Walton, flight engineer,
Sgt Bernard Wallwork, observer,
Sgt Edward Owen Brooks, wireless operator,
Sgt Peter Johnstone, wireless operator,
F/Sgt George Hall Chesman, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Nov 7, 1941 at 2015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1701
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1733LT on an operation to Berlin. In the evening, it was last heard on w/t at 2015LT indicating a ditching was imminent. At that time, the bomber was flying along the Dutch coast. No trace was found.
Crew:
Sgt Richard Alan Berry,
Sgt Wilfred Buchan,
P/O William Davie Clayton Hardie,
P/O Arthur Leonard Miller,
Sgt William Watson,
Sgt Brian James Wrampling.

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

Date & Time: Oct 31, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
W7444
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Oakington
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1752LT on an operation to Bremen. It returned early due to oxygen failure and crashed while trying to land at base. All seven crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
P/O N. E. Winch,
Sgt L. Norvell,
Sgt S. J. McNamara,
Sgt N. F. Durban,
Sgt G. R. Wood,
Sgt H. Paul,
Sgt N. J. Stronell.

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

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
X9828
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1809LT on an operation to Frankfurt. It was lost without trace and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur John Page, pilot,
F/Lt Gordon Frederick Bundey, pilot,
F/Sgt John Robert France,
Sgt Alfred Charles Hayter,
Sgt William Frank Whittington Lewis,
Sgt Donald Roy Thompson.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Beeck

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1941 at 2200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
T2846
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Beeck
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1838LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Beeck. Five crew members became PoW and one evaded.
Crew:
Sgt James Muir Atkinson,
P/O Walter Barrett,
Sgt Robert Littler Betts,
Sgt Leslie Douglas Albert Bolton,
Sgt Ronald Herbert Cage,
Sgt L. Pearman.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC into the North Sea: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1219
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 0007LT on an operation to Cologne. After the bomber was plotted over Belgium, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the North Sea off the Dutch coast. A crew was killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt George Albert Highfield, †
W/O Vincent Ivor Bowden,
P/O Redmond Charles Carroll,
P/O Gerald Albert Douglas Imeson,
W/O James Parkington,
Sgt James Robertson Ritchie.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I near RAF Bourn: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1941 at 2230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6085
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Bourn AFB
Cambridgeshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Oakington on an operation to Brest. While returning to base in the late evening, it was shot down by a JU.88C and crashed near RAF Bourn. Five crew members were killed and two others bailed out from an altitude of 700 feet and landed safely.
Crew:
Sgt Jack Allan Marshall, wireless operator, †
S/L Donald Ian McLeod, pilot, †
F/Lt Sidney George Stock, air gunner, †
F/Sgt James Rankin Walker, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Harold Watson, wireless operator, †
Sgt I. H. Hunter,
P/O J. R. Alverson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
Subscribe to Oakington