Belgium | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Detling on a mission over Vlissingen. Approaching the Belgian coast, it was shot down by the pilot of a Me.109 and crashed into the sea off Le Coq-sur-Mer (De Haan). All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O John Edward Mahony, pilot,
Sgt Denys Arthur Keetley, observer,
Sgt. George Edward Exton, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Lovendegem: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

N3551

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Detling - Detling

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The airplane departed RAF Detling on a bombing mission over oil installations in the area of Ghent. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crash landed in Lovendegem. A crew was killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
F/o Alistair D. Panton, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Ernest Farrow, observer,
Sgt Leslie Herbert Stride, wireless operator and air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Jul 11, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

N1424

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Linton-on-Ouse - Lonton-on-Ouse

MSN:

1578

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse on a bombing mission over Leverkusen. It was shot down by the German Flak over Antwerp and crashed in Berchem, near Antwerp-Deurne Airport. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Denis Beach Hopes, pilot,
Sgt Frederick Young, pilot,
Sgt Leonard Isherwood, navigator and bomb aimer,
Sgt Norman Emmerson, air gunner,
Sgt Benjamin Michael Bennett, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1940 at 1807 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

R3896

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Wyton - Wyton

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The airplane departed RAF Wyton on a reconnaissance mission over Ghent. It was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed near Bruges. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Hugh Christopher Morris Bamber, pilot,
Sgt John Holdsworth, observer,
Sgt George Reid, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.52/3mte in Brussels: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Junkers JU.52

Operator:

Registration:

D-AGBI

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

6659

YOM:

1939

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On approach to Brussels-Haren Airport, the three engine airplane apparently collided with an unknown aircraft and crashed in Evere, west of the airfield. Two occupants survived while nine others were killed, among them General Major Fritz Löb.
Crew:
Hptm Hans Luft, pilot,
Hptm Anton Lorenz, pilot, †
Obff Heinz Lorenz, navigator, †
Passengers:
Fw Wilhelm Augustin, †
Oblt Werner Kurmeyer, †
Gen Maj Fritz Löb, †
Maj Carl Prümm, †
Ernst Schade, †
Ogfr Willi Schumann, †
Hptm Kurt von Lange,
Hptm Helmut von Schultz. †

Crash of a Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Gent

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

N1522

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Driffield - Driffield

MSN:

1650

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Driffield at 2103LT on June 4 on a bombing mission over Gelsenkirchen. While cruising at night over Gent, Belgium, an engine caught fire. The crew bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed on the ground. All five occupants survived and became PoW.
Crew:
P/O Alan C. Meigh,
Sgt W. G. Best,
Sgt M. A. Oliver,
LAC V. G. Allen,
AC1 D. V. Browne.

Probable cause:

Engine fire in flight.

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

Date & Time: May 31, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

R3162

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Marham - Marham

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Sho0t down by enemy fire and crashed in Veurne, some 20 km east from Dunkirk. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Vivian Allen William Rosewarne, pilot,
P/O Roy Baynes, pilot,
Sgt John Knight, observer,
Sgt Dennis Douglas George Spencer, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC2 James C. Adams, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt John Dolan, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P7 in Steenkerke: 11 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1940 at 1010 LT

Type of aircraft:

Heinkel He.111

Operator:

Registration:

9K+??

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

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The airplane was shot down by the pilot of an RAF Defiant from the 264th Squadron and crashed on a farm owned by Mr. Bulcke Lodijk and located in Steenkerke. All five crew members were killed as well as six Belgian soldiers in the farm.
Crew:
Gefr Alfred Kassegger,
Gefr Paul Bartelt,
Lt Rudolf Gild,
Fw Alfred Göttlicher,
Uffz Heinz Kannewurf.

Probable cause:

Shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Ostend: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

L7793

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

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The crew was performing a bombing mission over Courtrai and Brussels when he was forced to make an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an open field near Ostend Airport and was damaged beyond repair. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew (37th Squadron):
P/O John Stewart Cameron, †
S/L Arthur Roger Glencross, †
Sgt Raymond Cranmer Parkhouse, †
LAC Dear,
AC1 Stanhope.

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

Date & Time: May 25, 1940 at 1630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

L8734

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 1530LT on a bombing mission over Lys. En route, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Kezelberg. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Harold Rowson, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Knightley Roland Keates, observer,
LAC Donald Vincent Cleaver, Wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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