Rennes

The crew was completing a mail flight from Rennes to Clermont-Ferrand with intermediate stops in Nantes and Poitiers on behalf of the French Postal Service (La Poste). On final approach to Nantes-Château Bougon Airport by night, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck power cables and crashed in flames in a field located about 12 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Rennes Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in an open field. Both pilots were killed.

Upon landing in Rennes, an undercarriage collapsed. The aircraft slid for several yards and came to rest. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Enroute, the crew informed ground he was short of fuel and elected to divert to Rennes Airport. At 0028LT, the radio operator reported the fuel reserve were estimated for 10 minutes. Two minutes later, while completing a last turn in poor weather conditions, the aircraft nosed down and crashed in flames in a field short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all 26 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, visibility was poor due to low clouds, and the airfield was not sufficiently lighted.
Crew (299th Squadron):
F/O Charles Thomas Dillon, pilot,
F/Lt Donald William Lee, navigator,
F/Sgt Donald Wareham, flight engineer,
W/O Alan Griffiths, bomb aimer,
W/O Victor Gerald Last, air gunner,
W/O Eric Antony Pether, wireless operator and air gunner.
Passengers:
Lt Col Alexander John Severs Mackenzie,
C/O Dorothy Mary Mackenzie,
Cpl Margery Greenfield,
Pvt Margaret Jean Mortlock,
LAC Agnes Aitchison Maltby,
Cpl Edward Vernon Maltby,
Sgt Hilda Victoria Timms,
Lt Jack Edward Lloyd,
Lt Frederick Edmund Withers,
Lt Col George Howard Jones,
Sgt Marie Elsie Isabel Innes,
Sgt John Edward Timms,
Cpt Cecil Tom Keates,
Pvt Leonard Harold North,
Lt John Alexander Leo Carus,
AC1 Harry Ronald Goulding,
LAC Sidney George Wordsworth,
LAC John Ernest Simcock,
Maj Samuel Harry Arthur Williams,
AC1 Joseph McWilliams.

On final approach to Rennes Airport, the twin engine aircraft crashed in flames short of runway. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Pierre Brule, pilot,
Paul Farenkoff, radio navigator,
Mr. Dauphin, mechanic.

The single engine aircraft crashed on take off from Rennes Airport, killing the pilot, sole occupant.

The four engine airplane crashed while taking off from Rennes-Saint-Jacques Airport, bursting into flames. Four crew members were killed and three others were rescued. The airplane was engaged in a reconnaissance mission.
Crew:
Hpt Karl Kahra, pilot,
Hpt Johannes Deutschmann, pilot, †
Hpt Herbert Burmeister, observer, †
Ofw Helmut Peitsch, radio operator,
Uffz Heinz Thiele, radio operator, †
Ofw Ernst Schwarz, mechanic, †
Uffz Wilhelm Hofratz, air gunner.

The airplane crashed near Rennes following a fuel exhaustion. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Karl Barth, pilot,
Gefr Walter Tesche, radio operator,
Uffz Hans Mutschers, mechanic,
Uffz Hans Schneider, air gunner.

The bomber departed Rennes Airport at 0015LT on an operation to England. While cruising over the Irish Sea, it was hit by enemy fire. The crew was able to evacuate the area and to return to base. With one engine out, the captain decided to divert to Dinard-Pleurtuit Airport where the airplane crashed upon landing, bursting into flames. The gunner was killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Oblt Ottmar Dold, pilot,
Lt Hans-Otto Heinert, observer,
Ofw Robert Brinkmann, flight engineer,
Ofw Cryns, radio operator,
Uffz Martin Peper, air gunner. †

The bomber crashed upon landing for unknown reasons and was damaged beyond repair. All three crew members were injured.
Crew:
Fw Siegfried Blass, pilot,
Fw Kurt Müller, observer,
Uffz Georg Burkel, mechanic.