Topcliffe AFB

Operator:

Registration:

T4326

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1959

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1940LT on March 12 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base, it was shot down by the pilot of a German Me.110 and crashed in Noord Deurningen. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Frank Hugh Long, pilot, †
S/L Archibald Martin Watts-Read, pilot, †
Sgt William Edward van Klaveren, navigator,
Sgt Ernest Hugh Goodall, wireless operator, †
Sgt Vincent Hallas, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Hamburg: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4273

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1926

YOM:

1940

Location:

Hamburg

Country:

Germany

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1920LT on an operation to Hamburg. While approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed at Kampstrasse 80-84 in the district of Hamburg-Lockstedt. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Anthony Leonard Roger Cook, pilot,
Sgt Alexander Charles Elliott, pilot,
Sgt John Molesworth Oxley, observer,
Sgt Samuel Hugh Albert Jess, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Reginald Skinner, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Catterick: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 2, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

Z6463

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1975

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe in the evening of March 1st on an operation to Cologne. The crew was ordered to divert to RAF Benson, Oxfordshire. But on final approach to RAF Catterick, North Yorkshire, the airplane collided with telegraph poles and crashed. A crew was killed and four others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Denis Bernard Flanders, wireless operator,
P/O J. G. Rogers, †
Sgt J. Edwards,
Sgt G. P. Jones,
Sgt Bradley.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Cromer: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1941 at 2307 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4261

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1914

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1844LT on an operation to Cologne. It ditched at 2307LT off Cromer for unknown reasons. Four crew members were rescued in their dinghy while the Squadron Leader could not get into it and drowned in a rough sea.
Crew:
S/L Clive Eugene Erwin Florigny, pilot,
Sgt R. F. Martin,
Sgt W. Hol,
Sgt A. Bush,
P/P R. C. Rivaz.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Malden

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1941 at 2319 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4164

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1857

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1839LT on an operation to Sterkrade. While flying over the Netherlands at night, it was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter and crash landed in Malden. All five crew members became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Charles Richardson Hubbard,
F/Sgt Douglas Henry Gilbert,
F/Sgt Alan Bocking,
Sgt Thomas Francis Keeley,
Sgt Maurice Francis Hurlston.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Withernsea: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1941 at 1802 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4227

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1900

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1641LT on an operation to Bremen. Less than two hours into the flight, it was shot down by the pilot of a JU.88 and crashed into the sea some 50 km east of Withernsea. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Desmond Christian Frederick Coutts,
Sgt Kenneth Harold Smith,
Sgt Norman Stephenson,
Sgt James Kennedy,
Sgt Thomas Fraser Behan.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Abingdon

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1940 at 0335 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

P5111

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1819

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1628LT on December 27 on an operation to Bordeaux. While returning to base the following night, the crew diverted to RAF Abingdon when the bomber crashed on a building that was used for instructional purposes. All five crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
F/L C. L. Gomm,
Sgt Taylor,
Sgt Nickson,
Sgt Jones,
Sgt Flanders.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Topcliffe

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1940 at 0227 LT

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

T4293

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Topcliffe - Topcliffe

MSN:

1946

YOM:

1940

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Topcliffe at 1629LT on December 27 to bomb an aircraft factory based at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport. While returning to base the following night, the crew encountered technical difficulties upon landing when the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and collided with another Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley parked on the ramp. All five occupants were injured and both aircraft were destroyed.
Crew (77th Squadron):
Sgt Harold Joseph Dowling, pilot,
P/O Leonard Edward Pearson, pilot,
Sgt John Stafford Bools, observer,
Sgt Gill, wireless operator,
Sgt Alfred John Hurlston, air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near RAF St Athan

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1940 at 0200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

T4335

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site: