Region
Europe

Crash of a Martin B-26B Marauder in Rozenburg: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1943 at 1151 LT
Type of aircraft:
Martin B-26 Marauder
Operator:
Registration:
41-17982
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Location:
Rozenburg
South Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While approaching Rotterdam from the west, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field located in Rozenburg. Three crew members were killed while three others were taken PoW.
Crew (322nd BG/452nd BS):
Lt Col Robert W. Stillman,
Lt Ellis J. Resweber, †
2nd Lt William R. Betz, †
S/Sgt Morgan S. Freeman,
T/Sgt Clyde D. Willis,
S/Sgt Edward K. Hagetter. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Castricum: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1943 at 0258 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED877
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Location:
Castricum
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Scampton in the evening of May 16 to attack the Möhne Dam located east of Dortmund. Following an uneventful mission and while overflying The Netherlands by night to return to its base, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in flames in a field. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
S/L H. M. Young,
Sgt R. Horsfall,
Sgt C. W. Roberts,
Sgt L. Nichols,
F/O V. S. Macausland,
Sgt A. G. Yeo,
Sgt L. Ibbotson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Netterden: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1943 at 0236 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED937
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Location:
Netterden
Gelderland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Scampton in the evening of May 16 to attack the Möhne Dam located east of Dortmund. Following an uneventful mission and while returning to its base, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in a field located in Netterden, at the border with Germany. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
S/L Henry Eric Maudslay, pilot,
Sgt J. Marriott, flight engineer,
F/O R. A. Urquhart, navigator,
W/O A. P. Cottam, wireless operator,
P/O M. J. D. Fuller, bomb aimer,
F/O W. J. Tytherleigh, air gunner,
Sgt N. R. Burrows, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Rijen: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1943 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED865
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Location:
Rijen
North Brabant
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Scampton in the evening of May 16 to attack the Sorpe Dam located southeast of Dortmund. While overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in flames in a field. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
P/O Lewis Johnstone Burpee, pilot,
Sgt Guy Pegler, flight engineer,
Sgt Thomas Jaye, navigator,
F/Sgt James Lamb Arthur, air bomber,
P/O Leonard George Weller, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Charles Arthur Long, air gunner,
W/O Joseph Gordon Brady, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster in the Waddenzee: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
ED934
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Scampton - Scampton
Location:
Waddenzee
All The Netherlands
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Scampton in the evening of May 15 to attack the Sorpe Dam located southeast of Dortmund. While overflying The Netherlands by night at an altitude of 300 feet, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Waddenzee, off Texel. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (617th Squadron):
P/O Vernon William Byers, pilot,
Sgt Alastair James Taylor, flight engineer,
P/O James Herbert Warner, navigator,
Sgt Arthur Neville Whitaker, air bomber,
Sgt John Wilkinson, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Charles McAllister Jarvie, air gunner,
F/Sgt James McDowell, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Boeing B-17F-25-DL Flying Fortress in Kats: 10 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
42-3115
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
8051
Location:
Kats
Zeeland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in Kats, killing all 10 crew members.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Den Helder: 7 killed

Date & Time: May 14, 1943
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4110
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Den Helder
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
While approaching The Netherlands, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the North Sea some 20 km off Den Helder. All seven crew members were killed.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Buurse: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 13, 1943 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
DT801
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Graveley - Graveley
Location:
Buurse
Overijssel
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a bombing mission over Duisburg and left RAF Graveley at 0023LT. While overflying The Netherlands by night at an altitude of 3,300 metres, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The captain attempted to make an emergency landing in a field but on touchdown, the aircraft caught fire and came to rest upside down. Two crew members were killed while all others were injured.
Crew (35th Squadron):
F/Lt Douglas Julian Sale,
P/O R. C. Sawyer,
P/O G. E. Heard,
Sgt S. A. Moores,
Sgt D. N. Richards,
Sgt R. O. Elford,
Sgt C. W. Rowley.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

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

Date & Time: May 1, 1943 at 0252 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
R9263
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Location:
Akkerwoude
Friesland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The bomber left RAF Oakington after midnight to attack the city of Bocholt in Germany. While flying over The Netherlands, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed in a field located in Akkerwoude. Six crew members were killed and one survived.
Crew (7th Squadron):
P/O E. C. Hallding, pilot, †
P/O Geoffrey Wragge, navigator, †
Sgt Arhur Eward Emms, air gunner, †
W/O Loois Nutik, wireless operator and air gunner, †
F/Sgt H. Sobel, air gunner, †
Sgt Norman Arthur Peachey, air bomber, †
Sgt F. A. Painter.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Texel: 7 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943 at 0021 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 683 Lancaster
Operator:
Registration:
W4894
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Warboys - Warboys
Location:
Texel Island
North Holland
Country:
Netherlands
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The aircraft left RAF Warboys on April 3rd on a bombing mission to Essen, Germany. While returning to its base following an uneventful mission and while overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crashed into the Lake Wadden, ten miles east of Texel. All seven crew were killed. Few debris of the aircraft were found in 1989.
Crew (156th Squadron):
F/Sgt Reginald Anderson Byass, pilot,
Sgt G. R. Minns, flight engineer,
F/O Gregory James Black, observer,
Sgt Norman Ray Thurecht, bomb aimer,
Sgt Russell Seymour Trigwell, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt D. L. Robertson, air gunner,
Sgt S. E. Crooks, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
Subscribe to Netherlands