Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

The crew departed RAF Waddington on a reconnaissance over the Elbe Estuary. While flying at night, the bomber crashed in unknown circumstances into the North Sea. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew:
Sgt Stephen Alfred Williams, pilot,
Sgt Albert Richard Jones, observer,
Sgt Raymond Wilfred Cross, wireless operator,
AC1 Anthony Creighton Hamman, air gunner.

The aircraft left RAF Feltwell at 2251LT on March 23, bound for Germany on the 'Nickel' Operation. While approaching Bremen by night from the west, the aircraft was shot down by Flak. The captain reduced his altitude and attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft went out of control and crashed in flames in a field located in Delmenhorst. The copilot was killed was all five other occupants were injured. The captain died from his injury one week later, on March 31st.
Crew (37th Squadron):
F/O Philip Francis Templeman, pilot, †
Sgt Douglas Warren Wilson, pilot, †
Sgt K. R. Say, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC E. Lawson, wireless operator and air gunner,
AC1 J. A. Burke, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC J. R. Clark, air gunner.

The aircraft left RAF Mildenhall at 1930LT on March 23, on a reconnaissance flight over Germany to locate both Weser and Elbe Rivers. On the return leg to UK, while overflying the Belgian border, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. The captain instructed his crew to abandon the aircraft and all six occupants bailed out. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a pasture located in Hondschoote, southeast of Dunkerque. All six crew were unhurt while the aircraft was destroyed.
Crew (149th Squadron):
F/O F. W. S. Turner,
F/O J. P. M. Hewett,
Sgt H. Dean,
AC2 Fairgrieve,
AC2 Smith,
P/O J. D. Hargreaves.

Following a reconnaissance mission over Heligoland, the crew was returning to his base at RAF Wattisham. En route, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reasons. The airplane landed in an open field located in Oakley and came to rest upside down. All three crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
F/O J. K. Buchanan,
Sgt Patterson,
AC2 Greenwood.

Following a reconnaissance mission at night, the crew was returning to his base at RAF Catterick. Due to poor visibility caused by low clouds, the crew reduced his altitude in an attempt to establish a visual contact with the ground or to find the correct direction to the base. Doing so, the airplane descended too low and impacted the slope of a hill located near Bransdale. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Horace Philips, pilot,
AC1 Frank Prosser, wireless operator and air gunner.

While on a reconnaissance mission, the airplane suffered an engine failure. The pilot ditched the airplane into the North Sea. All four crew members were rescued while the airplane sank and was lost.
Crew:
Lt Helmut Ostermann +3.

The crew departed RAF Waddington at 1915LT on March 16 on a maritime patrol flight off the Heligoland Island, Schleswig-Holstein. In the middle of the night, the crew was unable to return to his base because of the deterioration of the weather conditions, and was rerouted to RAF Leuchars, Fife. While cruising in limited visibility, the airplane impacted the slope of Mt Windy Gyle. The wreckage was found few hours later. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Vivian Howard Ayres, pilot,
P/O Peter Aubrey Forrester Addie, observer,
Sgt George Albert Rowling, wireless operator and air gunner,
LAC Allan Vincent Wallace, wireless operator and air gunner.

While on a night reconnaissance mission off the Danish coast, the crew was forced to bail out for unknown reasons and abandoned the aircraft that crashed into the sea off Nakskov. Both crew members were rescued.

The airplane departed Metz at 2345LT on a reconnaissance mission. Less than five minutes later, it crashed in a field located in Orny. Two crewmen were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
F/O W. W. Adam, †
Sgt Park,
LAC F. J. Mantle. †

While on an observation flight, the crew encountered unknown technical problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing on a beach located in Bispham, north of Blackpool. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while both crew members were uninjured.