Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Worthy Down: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 8, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z6342
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Leuchars - Worthy Down - Thorney Island
Location:
Worthy Down AFB (Winchester)
Hampshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leuchars on a flight to RAF Thorney Island with an intermediate stop at RAF Worthy Down. After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 100 feet, the airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed, bursting into flames. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Francis Henry Wilkinson, pilot,
F/Sgt Jack Adrian Colin London, observer,
P/O Cedric Hubert Owen Priest, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure upon takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort II into the North Sea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW273
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
9951
YOM:
1941
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1610LT on 'Operation Fuller'. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in the North Sea, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L Thomas Ivor Mathewson, pilot,
F/O William Henry Stephens, observer,
F/Sgt Ronald Ernest Howett, wireless operator,
Sgt Eric Young, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort II off Schouwen-Duiveland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW278
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
9956
YOM:
1941
Location:
Schouwen-Duiveland Island
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1420 on 'Operation Fuller'. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed off the Schouwen-Duiveren Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Arthur John Heneage Finch, pilot,
F/Sgt Albert Henry Leeds Jackson, observer,
Sgt David Yule Fyfe, wireless operator,
Sgt Thomas McNeill, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Scheveningen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
L9877
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
9025
YOM:
1940
Location:
Scheveningen
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1606LT on an anti shipping operation. Approaching the Dutch coast, it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Scheveningen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Matthew White, pilot,
F/Sgt Hedley Albert Goldsmith, observer,
F/Sgt John Arthur Wilson, wireless operator,
Sgt Basil Warwick Hammersley, air gunner.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V off Cherbourg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
AM862
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Aerial photography
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
414-2944
YOM:
1941
Location:
Cherbourg
Manche
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island on a reconnaissance photo operation over Cherbourg. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the harbor of Cherbourg. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt David Adye Buchan, pilot,
Sgt Patrick Godfrey Thompson, observer,
Sgt Richard Elwyd French, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Stringer, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V off Le Havre: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1941 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed L-414 Hudson
Operator:
Registration:
AM704
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
414-2786
YOM:
1941
Location:
Le Havre
Seine-Maritime
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 1909LT on a maritime patrol flight. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Marine Flak and crashed into the sea off Le Havre. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Charles Fraser Rogerson, pilot,
P/O Robert Arban Gee, observer,
Sgt Arthur Simpson Riddell, radio operator,
F/Sgt Michael Leslie Sharpe, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Marine Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Vlissingen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW214
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
MSN:
9921
YOM:
1941
Location:
Vlissingen
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island on a mine laying operation off Boulogne-sur-Mer. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in the Schelde Estuary off Vlissingen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Harry Fletcher Binns,
Sgt David Adams Campbell,
P/O Ian Good Mitchell,
Sgt Thomas Penrice.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Boulogne-sur-Mer: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 9, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
T1874
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
Location:
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Pas-de-Calais
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island at 2200LT on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer. It crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching the target, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
S/L Gerald Charles Neil Close, pilot,
F/O Frederick George Roberts, observer,
Sgt Gordon William Richards, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Hoek van Holland: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1941 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
N3615
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
Location:
Hoek van Holland
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island on an anti-shipping mission. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Hoek van Holland. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Edward Freeman,
F/Lt Anthony Ellerton Ryan Fry,
Sgt John Frederick James Taylor.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Hoek van Holland: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1941 at 1220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V5520
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Thorney Island - Thorney Island
Location:
Hoek van Holland
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Thorney Island on an anti-shipping mission. Approaching the Dutch coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Hoek van Holland. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Sydney George Collier, pilot,
Sgt John Mingham, observer,
F/Sgt William Powell, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
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