Zone
Suffolk

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Varsity
Operator:
Registration:
WL677
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
YOM:
1953
Location:
Stradishall AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the airplane landed hard, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The airplane then slid for several yards and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Crash of an Avro 685 York I in RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: May 28, 1946
Type of aircraft:
Avro 685 York
Operator:
Registration:
MW250
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
MW250
YOM:
1946
Location:
Stradishall AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown, the crew started to brake but the aircraft failed to stop, overran, lost its undercarriage and skidded for 100 yards before coming to rest in a ditch. All five crew members from the 51st Squadron were slightly injured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance due to a failure of the braking systems. It was determined that the failure of the braking systems was caused by an incorrect assembly on part of the RAF technicians.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Dirkshorn: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1942 at 0220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
AD605
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Dirkshorn
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Stradishall at 2300LT on July 2 on an investigation mission and was overflying The Netherlands by night when he was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located near Dirkshorn. Five crew members were killed while two others were taken POW.
Crew (109th Squadron):
P/O P. R. V. Sullivan, pilot, †
W/O W. R. Allison, †
F/Sgt W. Adamson, †
Sgt R. J. Liversuch, †
F/Sgt W. J. Garnett,
Sgt W. J. Morrison,
Sgt J. A. Eyres. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German night fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Deurne: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1942 at 0324 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z8951
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Deurne
North Brabant
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall in the evening of April 15 on an operation to Dortmund. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Deurne, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Lawrence Malcolm Leech, pilot,
P/O Harry Arthur Shortt, pilot,
Sgt Jack Ward, observer,
Sgt Percy Heppenstall, wireless operator,
Sgt Geoffrey Malcolm Charles Turner, wireless operator,
Sgt Vernon Ernest Egan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Overrepen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z1148
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Overrepen
Limburg
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall in the evening of April 14 on an operation to Dortmund. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Overrepen, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
F/Sgt Reginald Marcus Lawrence, pilot,
F/Sgt Billy Orrin Gates, pilot,
P/O Robert Balfour Halliday, observer,
F/Sgt Douglas Harold Morton Jacques, wireless operator,
Sgt Eric Mason, wireless operator,
Sgt Samuel Cox, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Gelsenkirchen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1942 at 0129 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
HF856
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Gelsenkirchen
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 2250LT on an operation to Essen. It crashed for unknown reasons in Hüllen, a district of Gelsenkirchen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Walter Murray, pilot,
F/Sgt Harry Alyn Neal, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Walter Penny, navigator,
Sgt Fred Bonser, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt David Smith, wireless operator and air gunner,
Cpt Harold MacRae Butterworth, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Maxdorf: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1942 at 0147 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
R1789
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Maxdorf
Rhineland-Palatinate
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall in the evening of April 1st on a bombing mission over Hanau. It crashed in unknown circumstances in Maxdorf, west of Ludwigshafen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Sydney Burtwell, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Edwin Rees, pilot,
Sgt Kenneth Horace Tibbatts, navigator,
Sgt John Clifford Dunn, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Peter Wood Durnbach, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Henry Downs, air gunner.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Niederkassel: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1942 at 0134 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z8805
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Niederkassel
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall in the evening of April 1st on an operation to Hanau. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Niederkassel, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Eric Dixon, pilot,
P/O Thomas Best, pilot,
Sgt Albert George Richards, observer,
P/O James McKenzie Henderson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Ernest Keith Stevens, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Edward Thomas Albrighton, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Wilskerke: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z1052
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Wilskerke
West Flanders
Country:
Belgium
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall on an operation to Hanau. Passing over Belgium at night, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near he village of Wilskerke. Five crew members were killed and the sixth occupant became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Hugh Mitchell, pilot, †
W/O Walter David Page, pilot, †
Sgt James Murphy, observer, †
Sgt Stanley Perry, wireless operator, †
Sgt Richard Arthur Platt, wireless operator, †
Sgt Clifford Hollins Davidson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Neuss: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
Z8979
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Neuss
North Rhine-Westphalia
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall in the evening of April 1st on an operation to Hanau. At night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Neuss, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Ronald William Stanley Hayes, pilot,
F/Sgt Norman George Hickey, pilot,
Sgt George William Jackson, observer,
Sgt Irvine Leonard Eagleton, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Ralph Kitney, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt John Nash, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
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