Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Overasselt: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 8, 1941 at 0237 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N3658
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Overasselt
Gelderland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton in the evening of August 7 on an operation to Essen. Passing over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a Me.110, entered a dive and crashed onto a farm in Overasselt. All seven crew members as well as three occupants in the farm were killed.
Crew:
S/L John Vivian, pilot,
F/O Frank James Needham, pilot,
Sgt George Wilbert Jeffrey, observer,
Sgt John Turner Corbett, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Robert Alexander Ross, wireless operator,
Sgt Kenneth Leslie Rowley, wireless operator,
Sgt Stanley Henry Broyd, air gunner.
Those killed in the farm were:
Mr. Jan Welles,
Mrs. Marie Welles,
Mr. Jan Welles Jr.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Zandvoort

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1941 at 0540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6029
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Zandvoort
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on the evening of July 25 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following morning and after passing the Dutch coast, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea some 40 km off Zandvoort. The crew drifted for six days before their dinghy came ashore in the area of Zandvoort.
Crew:
Sgt Brian Dennis Beecroft,
Sgt James Thomas Day,
Sgt Frank Smith,
F/Lt Thomas Henry Bryan Tayler,
F/Lt Frank Thompson,
Sgt Lawrence Crosby Titterton,
Sgt Haydn Neil Guymer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in the Celtic Sea: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 23, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6038
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Celtic Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton to attack the Scharnhorst. It is believed that it was damaged by enemy fire and subsequently crashed into the sea, some 50 miles off Milford Heaven, Pembrokeshire. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Robert Balmain Campbell,
F/Sgt William Cockburn,
Sgt George Thomas Friend,
P/O Donald Alfred Lewis, observer,
Sgt Arthur John Mitchell,
P/O John Henry Eric Warner,
Sgt Arthur Ronald Norman Whitcher.
Probable cause:
Believed shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Killem: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6018
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Killem
Nord
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on an operation to Lille. While trying to bomb a secondary target at Dunkirk, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Killem. Six crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Thomas William Piper, pilot,
Sgt Dennis Herbert Jeeves, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie Osborn Orchard, flight engineer, †
P/O Arnold Hipps, observer, †
Sgt Percy Henry Eve, wireless operator, †
Sgt Sidney Norman Symondson, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Gordon Armstrong,
P/O Jack Reginald Bushell, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Deal: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 18, 1941 at 1140 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6030
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Deal
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Wyton in an attempt to raid Wesel using cloud cover. Due to clearing skies, the crew returned to base when the airplane was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the seas off Deal. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Kenneth Godfrey Howard Davies, flight engineer,
Sgt Alfred James Higgison,
F/O Sydney Douglas Marshall,
Sgt Gordon Hogarth Mayor,
P/O John Davis Walker McCallum, observer,
F/Sgt Charles George White, wireless operator,
Sgt Arthur Walter Dudley Frost, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Chatteris: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 12, 1941 at 1545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
Z6360
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton - Upwood
Location:
Chatteris
Cambridgeshire
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 Wyton on a training flight to RAF Upwood. En route, the crew lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed near Chatteris. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald James Smith, pilot,
P/O Ronald Owen Boon, observer,
Sgt James Tinker, wireless operator.

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

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N3661
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Wyton AFB
Huntingdonshire
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 Wyton on an operation to Lille. While returning to base, the undercarriage collapsed upon landing and the airplane was damaged beyond repair. All seven crew members evacuated safely.
Crew:
P/O D. F. Lagatte,
Sgt J. D. Jeffrey,
Sgt R. B. Strachan,
Sgt G. K. Henson,
Sgt F. Smith,
Sgt H. G. Dickson,
Sgt V. N. Taylor.
Probable cause:
Failure of the undercarriage upon landing.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Hochdonn: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
V6396
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Hochdonn
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 0830LT on an operation to the Kiel Canal. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Hochdonn. F/S Robertson managed to get out of the aircraft, but his parachute opened prematurely and he became caught up in the tail unit.
Crew:
S/L Herbert Douglas Haig Cooper, pilot,
F/Sgt John Stewart Robertson, observer, †
F/Sgt John Hall Simpson, wireless operator. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I Off Pellworm Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1941 at 0315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6015
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Pellworm Island
Schleswig-Holstein
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 Wyton at 2320LT on June 29 on an operation to Hamburg. Approaching the German coast, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed into the sea off Pellworm Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Anthony Michael Metaxa, pilot,
Sgt Cecil Ridge Batchellor,
Sgt Douglas George Brown,
Sgt Sidney Timothy O'Mara,
P/O Richard Christopher Sykes Renshaw,
Sgt John Kenneth Woodhams, wireless operator,
Sgt William Patrick Grant, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Ellerbek: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1941 at 0245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6016
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Ellerbek
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton in the evening of June 29 on an operation to Hamburg. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crash landed in Ellerbek, northwest of Hamburg. Two crew members were killed and five others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald Cecil Smith, pilot, †
F/Sgt Richard Smith Storie, air gunner, †
Sgt L. B. McCarthy,
Sgt D. B. Annesley,
Sgt T. S. Thorkilsen,
Sgt W. B. Louch,
Sgt D. Rees.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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