Netherlands | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft left RAF Melbourne (Yorkshire) at 1834LT on a bombing mission to Kiel. While approaching the Dutch coast, the bomber went out of control and crashed into the North Sea some 15 km off the Schiermonnikoog Island. All seven crew members were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC near Elburg: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1942 at 0548 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

X9786

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Wing - Wing

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The crew left RAF Wing at 2353LT on September 13 on a bombing mission to Bremen, Germany. Following an uneventful mission and while overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. Out of control, it dove into the ground and crashed 2 km west of Elburg. Four crew members were killed while the fifth occupant bailed out and was taken POW.
Crew (26th OTU):
P/O Robert Leo Hage, pilot, †
Sgt Kenneth David Jones, †
Sgt Alexander Knox Smith, observer, †
Sgt Donald Fisher, †
Sgt J. A. Gartlan.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Maasbracht: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1942 at 0110 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

L7567

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Schedule:

Scampton - Scampton

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The crew left RAF Scampton at 2111LT on August 28 on a bombing mission to Nuremberg, Germany. While overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located in Maasbracht, some 10 km southwest of Roermond. Five crew members were killed while two others were injured.
Crew (49th Squadron):
F/O John Lowrie, pilot, †
W/O J. Allen,
Sgt Reginald Patrick Dobson, †
Sgt G. H. M. Gordon,
Sgt Eric Albert Berrett, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Norman Rae Mitchell, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt William Dudley Peirce. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Buurserveen: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 27, 1942 at 2354 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1270

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Elsham Wolds - Elsham Wolds

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The crew left RAF Elsham Wolds at 2054LT on a bombing mission to Essen, Germany. While overflying The Netherlands by night at an altitude of 3,500 meters, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot (Cpt Wolfgang Thimmig Stab III/NJG1) of a German fighter and crashed in flames in a field located in Buurserveen, about 4 km south of Haaksbergen, near the German border. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew (103rd Squadron):
F/Lt J. R. Frith,
Sgt W. Duncombe,
P/O E. A. R. Briant,
Sgt G. H. Wilson,
F/S B. S. Blundall,
Sgt J. D. Craig,
P/O P. G. Hopkins.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Gorinchem

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942 at 0658 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

N3705

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Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The crew left RAF Oakington at 0125LT on a bombing mission to The Netherlands. By night, the crew encountered undefined problems and the captain attempted to make an emergency landing. The aircraft eventually crash landed in a field located near Gorinchem. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all seven crew members were unhurt and taken POW.
Crew (7th Squadron):
Sgt S. C. Orrell,
F/O F. Thompson,
Sgt A. Buckley,
Sgt J. A. B. Bond,
Sgt C. A. Bowers,
Sgt A. R. Bolman,
Sgt T. R. Gough.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Dirkshorn: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1942 at 0220 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

AD605

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

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The crew left RAF Stradishall at 2300LT on July 2 on an investigation mission and was overflying The Netherlands by night when he was attacked by the pilot of a German fighter. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located near Dirkshorn. Five crew members were killed while two others were taken POW.
Crew (109th Squadron):
P/O P. R. V. Sullivan, pilot, †
W/O W. R. Allison, †
F/Sgt W. Adamson, †
Sgt R. J. Liversuch, †
F/Sgt W. J. Garnett,
Sgt W. J. Morrison,
Sgt J. A. Eyres. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German night fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Harlingen: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1942 at 2244 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

DV935

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Harwell - Harwell

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The crew left RAF Harwell in the day on a bombing mission to Bremen, Germany, with 1,066 other aircraft. Following an uneventful mission, the aircraft was returning to UK and was overflying The Netherlands when it was shot down by the German Flak. It went out off control and crashed into the Wadden Lake, off Harlingen. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (15th OTU):
Sgt James Stewart Leather, pilot,
Sgt Harry Bloor, pilot,
Sgt John McKelvie Dunn Oliver, observer,
Sgt Ronald Thomas Fage, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt David Thompson Stanners, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Gordon Lake, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Beekbergen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 4, 1942 at 0233 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7432

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Skellingthorpe - Skellingthorpe

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The crew left RAF Skellingthorpe at 2110LT on June 2 on a bombing mission to Bremen, Germany. While overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter, dove into the ground and crashed in an open field. Four crew members were killed while three others were seriously injured.
Crew (50th Squadron):
F/O John Frankland Heaton, pilot, †
P/O John Ross Steen, pilot, †
P/O Harold William Sheen, observer, †
Sgt J. A. Farquhar,
Sgt K. J. F. Gaulton,
Sgt Stanley Henry Thomas, air gunner, †
Sgt P. S. Buttigeig.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Maarheeze: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 31, 1942 at 0200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

W1042

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

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While overflying The Netherlands by night, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing in an open field when the aircraft stalled and crashed. Three crew members were killed while four others were injured.
Sgt A. R. Moore, †
Sgt D. L. Thurlow,
L. R. Silver,
Sgt J. A. Ogden,
Sgt H. R. Stacey,
Sgt M. F. English, †
Sgt F. Walker. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III off Ameland Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 30, 1942

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

V9122

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

414-3747

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The crew was engaged in a maritime patrol flight. En route, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed into the sea off Ameland Island. All four crew members were killed.

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