Royal Air Force - RAF | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Louigh Erne off Enniskillen. Nine crew members were rescued while P/O James Leslie Hodgens and Sgt Thomas Galbraith were killed.

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell off Old Fort Bay: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1943 at 1515 LT

Type of aircraft:

North American B-25 Mitchell

Operator:

Registration:

FR382

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Nassau - Nassau

MSN:

82-5776

YOM:

1941

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The airplane assigned to 111 OTU departed Nassau-Oakes Field at 1445LT. Radio communications were lost at 1515LT after the aircraft crashed into the sea, about 3,5 NM off Old Fort Bay. The dinghy was found empty and no trace from the crew was ever found.
Crew:
P/O William Lorne Stinson,
Sgt Arthur Joseph Beaulieu,
Sgt James Brian Keayes,
Sgt Carl Eric Ogren,
Sgt Charles Leslie Herbert Snart,
Sgt Arthur William Torrens,
Sgt Thomas Wallace.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in RAF Dumfries

Date & Time: Jun 28, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Avro 652 Anson

Operator:

Registration:

K8776

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dumfries - Dumfries

Location:

Dumfries AFB

Dumfries and Galloway

Country:

United Kingdom

Region:

Europe

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During the take-off roll, a tyre burst. An undercarriage collapse and the aircraft skidded on runway before coming to rest. All five crewmen were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Tyre burst during take off.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I off Wijk aan Zee: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1943 at 0251 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

ED373

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Ludford Magna - Ludford Magna

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The aircraft left RAF Ludford Magna in the evening of June 25 on a bombing mission to Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Following an uneventful mission, while returning to its base and overflying The Netherlands by night with one engine inoperative, the aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. Out of control, the aircraft crashed into the sea less than one mile off the Dutch coast. A crew member was taken PoW while all six other occupant were killed.
Crew (101st Squadron):
F/Sgt Ivan William Banks, pilot, †
Sgt Norman Stanley Mould, flight engineer, †
Sgt Harold James Toze, navigator, †
Sgt T. G. Brook, air bomber,
Sgt John Henry William Snowdon, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Geoffrey Victor Branson, air gunner, †
Sgt Ronald Pugh, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura II in Summerville: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1943 at 1350 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura

Operator:

Registration:

AE186

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Pennfield Ridge - Pennfield Ridge

MSN:

4324

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The crew left Pennfield Ridge AFB, New Brunswick, at 1237LT for a training mission. While cruising at low altitude, the aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Summerville, Nova Scotia. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O G. W. Cowie, pilot,
P/O C. A. Griffiths, navigator 2.

Crash of a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina into the Lake Saint Lucia: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Operator:

Registration:

FP265

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Durban - Durban

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The crew left RAF Congella at Durban on a maritime survey flight. En route, the seaplane went out of control and crashed into the Lake Saint Lucia, killing all eight crew members.
Crew (262nd Squadron):
F/O F. N. C. White, pilot,
F/Sgt T. H. T. Lane,
Sgt A. F. Soady,
Sgt R. F. Jenkins,
Sgt A. J. Mills,
Sgt R. T. Cork,
Sgt T. J. Burrington,
Sgt R. P. Kay.

Crash of a Douglas DB-7B Boston III near Orléans: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 24, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston

Operator:

Registration:

W8394

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

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Crashed in unknown circumstances near Orléans while on a surveillance mission. All three crew members were killed.
Crew (418th Squadron):
F/O D. A. Carmichael,
P/O D. Q. Findlay,
W/O J. W. Robertson.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling in Hamont: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1943 at 0145 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

EF366

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

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Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The aircraft left RAF Oakington at 0007LT on a bombing mission to Krefeld, Germany. While overflying Belgium by night at an altitude of 11,000 feet, the aircraft was intercepted amd shot down by two German fighters. The Stirling lost altitude and the captain attempted to make an emergency landing. On final, the aircraft stalled, hit the ground, went out of control and came to rest in flames on the bank of a canal. The captain and the navigator were killed while all five other occupants were taken PoW.
Crew (7th Squadron):
Bruce Meiklejohn, pilot, †
Charles Redwood, navigator, †
Bill Cole, flight engineer,
Frank Hugo, bomb aimer,
Leslie Ellingham, radio operator,
Jack Kilfoyle, air gunner,
Edgar Brown, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by German fighters.

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

Date & Time: Jun 22, 1943

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II

Operator:

Registration:

HR799

Flight Phase:

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En route, the bomber was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. Six crew members were able to bail out while two others were killed when the aircraft crashed in a field.
Crew killed were Sgt W. Brown and F/O H. Krohn.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.