Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Shortly after take off from North Island-Halsey Field NAS, while climbing, the seaplane stalled and crashed in flames. Five crew members were killed while six others were injured.

The aircraft left Shallufa at 1045LT on a maritime patrol flight over the Aegean Sea. En route, the aircraft was attacked by Flak based on a enemy merchant vessel and crashed into the sea. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew (14th Squadron):
P/O Colin Carl Truman, pilot,
F/Sgt Jack Irvine Thompson, copilot,
F/O B. T. Connell, observer,
F/Sgt Robert Edward Herbert Hope, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt K. Firth, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt W. J. Semple, wireless operator and air gunner.

The twin engine aircraft left RAF Bircham Newton at 0045LT on a maritime patrol flight over the North Sea. The last contact was recorded at 0345LT while the aircraft was flying along the island of Terschelling. It was most probably shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the North Sea. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew (320th Squadron) was found.

This accident occurred while flying over Greenland Ice Cap at an altitude of 4500-ft indicated. This should have given a clearance of 1000-ft according to charts of the area. Weather and snow covered terrain resulted in poor depth perception. Without realizing they were close to the ice, as a horizon was visible and were not on instruments, they suddenly made contact on the upgrade of a 400-ft slope. the pilot immediately applied throttles in an attempt to get into air but was unsuccessful due to the slope. Further attempts to swing plane around in order to take-off down grade were unsuccessful as plane sank into snow and ice. Block and tackle was dropped, but that also proved unsuccessful. The Ice Cap presents an unbroken pure white surface and when the prominent cost of landmarks are not visible, depth perception is extremely difficult, analagons to flying over glassy water in low visibility. It is considered that the fundamental cause of this accident was the almost lack of depth perception. This plane and its crew were strained on the ice cap for fifteen days, but were in constant touch with there base by radio. A plane dropped supplies and salvage equipment. On the 14th day a Danish Rescue party reached them. On the fifteenth day they abandoned there plane, all confidential publications, the IFF, SBAE and RADAR being destroyed. They returned by foot to the rescue party's came and on the sixteenth day returned to the NORTH STAR. Except for extreme cold, none of the crew suffered any ill effects.
Crew:
Lt R. W. Shepard, pilot,
Lt A. H. Gilster, copilot,
AP2c M. V. Egert,
Amm2c N. J. Richey Jr.,
Amm3c W. Blankenship,
Rm1c J. J. Rutowski,
Rm3c E. R. Herbert.
Source: http://www.warcovers.dk/greenland/crash270143.htm

The crew of the aircraft had been on an operational patrol, carrying out a parallel track search, from Bowmore of the sea area RU58, having taken off at 0724LT. The sea state at Bowmore was not ideal that day and it was expected that after dark it would be too rough to land aircraft. The original ETA back at Bowmore for DV979 had been 1810LT which being just before last light and it was decided by Flying Control not to divert the crew to Lough Erne in Northern Ireland. At 1700LT the situation was reviewed and the flare path was laid in the calmest area of water available should the aircraft arrive a little late. Shortly after the crew made contact with Bowmore stating that they would be 50 minutes late, at this point they were told that if they had sufficient fuel they were to divert to Lough Erne. However at the time the aircraft was contacted they only had some 45 minutes fuel remaining and were unable to divert. At 1926LT, over a hour late and in near complete darkness, DV979 arrived back overhead at Bowmore. The flare path was ignited and Capt Lever was told that he could not overshoot his landing as the landing area finished close to where other aircraft were moored. He then warned his crew to expect a rough landing and gathered them in the upper deck around the cockpit.After gathering the crew Capt Lever and P/O Johnston began their approach overland from the north, intending to cross the northern shore of Loch Indaal at 200 feet and touch down as soon as possible. While approaching the coast the port float struck a building near the shore and the aircraft crashed a short distance beyond it. A fire quickly took hold and the crew began to evacuate the aircraft, at least nine had survived the crash. Captain Lever was spotted by Sgt Hogg wandering on the shore ahead of the aircraft and he called to Sgt Williams that they should go and get him. As the two Sergeants reached their Captain, about 30 yards away, the aircraft's Depth Charges detonated destroying the aircraft and killing outright the men who were still around the wreck to help pull trapped colleagues from the aircraft.
Crew (246th Squadron):
Cpt Eric John Lever, pilot,
P/O Wallace Arthur Johnston, pilot, †
Sgt Walter Eric Charles Heath, navigator, †
Sgt George Charles Major, bomb aimer, †
Sgt George Hogg, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Roy John Jabour, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Ernest Geoff Palmer,wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Henry John Tasker, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt George Cyril Phillips, air gunner, †
Sgt John Ivor Williams, flight mechanic,
Sgt William Simpson, flight mechanic, †
Sgt Douglas Howarth, flight engineer. †
Source & photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/scotland/scotlanddv979.htm

Having failed to find a missing Short Sunderland, which had ditched in the sea west of the isle of Ushant off the north-west French coast, the pilot found that conditions were so poor on his return to base that it was impossible to land. In the end, he headed for the South Wales coast and over Swansea, ordered the crew to bail out once it was reached, all did so successfully. The aircraft continued for about 100 km until it ran out of fuel and crashed into Warren Hill, near Beguildy. The aircraft was destroyed while all four crew members were unhurt. Crew (279th Squadron).
Source: http://www.cpat.org.uk/resource/reports/cpat1249.pdf

Crashed on take off at Elizabeth City NAS in unclear circumstances. Four crew members were killed while four others were injured.

Crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off Brunswick, during a maritime patrol flight. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.

The crew left Alexandria Airport at 1600LT on January 1st on an anti-submarine mission between Alexandria and Port Said. Several radio contacts were made at 1730LT and 2345LT. Nothing further was heard from 0230LT to 0830LT. In the next morning, the wreckage was spotted at 1100LT off Port Said. The seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances, killing all 12 crew members.
Crew (230th Squadron):
F/O R. H. Holcombe, pilot,
F/O R. W. Meaton, pilot,
F/O L. S. Clayton, pilot,
Sgt L. J. Webber, observer,
Sgt W. G. Darge, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt A. G. Daniels, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt M. Dean, wireless operator and air gunner,
Cpl J. Barnard, air gunner,
Sgt V. F. Butcher, air gunner,
Cpl E. A. F. Nicholas, air gunner,
LAC J. Savidge, air gunner,
LAC W. L. Purkiss, radio mechanic.

While overflying the Rekata Bay, near Santa Isabel Island, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea near a Japanese Naval Air Station. All five occupants were killed. The wreckage was spotted in August 1945.
Crew (3rd Squadron):
F/Sgt Norman Newall,
Sgt Albert Mahony,
Sgt Henry Downard,
F/Sgt David Newlands,
Sgt Richard Andrew.