Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Santo Stefano Quisquina: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7341
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Luqa to attack the Palermo Harbor. Over Sicily, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Santo Stefano Quisquina. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Matthew Cumming Houston, pilot,
P/O James O'Grady, observer,
Sgt Leonard John Frost, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

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

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z9824
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Luqa to attack the Palermo Harbor. Over Sicily, the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Prizzi. Two crew members were killed and a third became PoW.
Crew:
F/Sgt Jack Kendrick Ibbotson, pilot, †
P/O Donald Jack Clement, observer, †
Sgt Herbert Edward Graham, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 off Marsala: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
7T+XH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1400
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Marsala. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Heribert Beiwl, pilot,
Uffz Herbert Diem, observer,
Gefr Eberhard Weisspflug, radio operator,
Gefr Ludwig Penader, air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Catania: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z9719
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa on an operation off Sicily. In unknown circumstances, it collided with a second RAF Blenheim registered Z7613. Both airplanes crashed into the sea off the harbor of Catania, killing all six crew members.
Crew:
Sgt William John Cuming, pilot,
Sgt John Herbert Pilley, observer,
Sgt Ralph Tollett, wireless operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Catania: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7613
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa on an operation off Sicily. In unknown circumstances, it collided with a second RAF Blenheim registered Z9713. Both airplanes crashed into the sea off the harbor of Catania, killing all six crew members.
Crew:
P/O James Arthur Barclay, pilot,
Sgt Harold Benjamin Lee, observer,
Sgt William Brian Allan, wireless operator.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-4 in Lucca: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2556
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed for unknown reasons while taking off from Lucca. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Karl Gruber, pilot,
Oblt Günther Krenzien, observer,
Uffz Fritz Hahn, radio operator.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Messina: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 4, 1941 at 1430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7775
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa on an anti-shipping operation. Over the Strait of Messina, it was shot down by an Italian fighter and crashed into the sea. Two crew members were killed and a third was rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Robert George Kidby, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie James Burcher, observer, †
Sgt Joseph Edward Hughes, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an Italian fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Messina: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1941 at 1555 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7368
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa to attack naval targets in the southern Italian waters. Flying over the Strait of Messina, it collided with a second Blenheim registered Z7644 and carrying three crew members. Following the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
W/Cdr Frazer Apsley Harte, pilot,
P/O Charles Oscar Bloodworth, observer,
F/O Thomas Wewage-Smith, wireless operator,
Lt Ellis Edward Arthur Chetwynd Talbot.
Probable cause:
The exact circumstances of the collision remains unknown. It is possible that one or both airplanes were shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV off Messina: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z7644
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Luqa - Luqa
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Luqa to attack naval targets in the southern Italian waters. Flying over the Strait of Messina, it collided with a second Blenheim registered Z7368 and carrying four crew members. Following the collision, both aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
P/O Neville Whitford Walders, pilot,
Sgt Stanley Jones, observer,
Sgt William Karl Hunting, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
The exact circumstances of the collision remains unknown. It is possible that one or both airplanes were shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Sondrio: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1941 at 0208 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1279
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1934LT on September 28 on an operation to Genoa. While returning to base the following night and after passing the area of Milan, it is believed that it was shot down by enemy fire. The crew reported engine problems then the airplane crashed in the Italian Alps, apparently in the region of Sondrio. The wreckage was not found.
Crew:
F/Sgt Walter Stanley Kitson, pilot,
P/O John Roy Freeland, pilot,
Sgt Ronald Gordon Gove, observer,
Sgt James Williamson Lee, wireless operator,
Sgt John Richard Palmer, wireless operator,
Sgt John Alfred McLean, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.