Crash of a Short S.25 Sunderland off Sierra Leone: 9 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L2158
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a maritime convoy mission off the Sierra Leone coast. En route, the seaplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (204th Squadron):
P/O J. Quinn,
P/O H. Horner,
F/Sgt E. C. G. Jackman,
Sgt J. James,
Sgt K. O'Meara,
Sgt W. A. Davis,
Sgt W. D. Maconnell,
Sgt E. H. Connell,
Sgt D. Stevens.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Gorinchem

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942 at 0658 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3705
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oakington - Oakington
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
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 an Avro 652 Anson I in Cirencester: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DJ184
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Defford – Boscombe Down
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from RAF Defford to RAF Boscombe Down to take delivery of a second Avro 652 Anson. En route, while cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field near Cirencester. All six occupants, among them two brothers, were killed.
Crew:
F/L Frank Brown,
F/O Eric Tom Sellick,
F/O George Flight Sellick,
F/O Alfred James Marsh,
LAC Henry Davis McCallum,
AC2 Roland Frederick Umney.
Probable cause:
The loss of control was caused by a failure of the fabric covering the right wing that separated from the structure in flight.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Talbenny

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7475
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Talbenny - Talbenny
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Just after lift off, while in initial climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed near the runway end. All seven crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
One of the engine caught fire just after take off.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24D-CO Liberator IIIA off Donegal: 4 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942 at 1515 LT
Operator:
Registration:
LV341
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ballykelly - Ballykelly
MSN:
37
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Ballykelly at 0533LT on a maritime patrol flight over the Atlantic Ocean. After the German U-boat U-256 was attacked and sank to a depth of 110 metres, the crew was requested to take part to a SAR operation for a troopship reported to have been torpedoed. At 1220LT, the crew informed ground that he was returning to his base with an ETA at 1627LT. At 1515LT, all four engine lost power, the aircraft lost height and was ditched off the Irish coast. While the aircraft sank and was lost, four crew members were rescued while four others were killed.
Crew:
P/O Victor Dennis James, pilot, †
Sgt Hector Vivian Frances Archer, copilot,
F/Sgt Alfred Burton Craig, navigator, †
Sgt Seymour Clare, flight engineer, †
F/Sgt Kenneth Henry Watson, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Peter Francis George, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt William Charles Gordon, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Fredrick Norman Hollies, wireless operator and air gunner.

Sincere thanks to Peter Clare, son of Sgt Seymour Clare, for his testimony and contribution. All texts below by Peter Clare:
http://www.ww2irishaviation.com/lv341.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/98/a2600498.shtml

Crash of a De Havilland DH.60X Moth in RAF South Cerney

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
DG587
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
South Cerney - South Cerney
MSN:
694
YOM:
1928
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at RAF South Cerney in unknown circumstances. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and both crewmen survived.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in RAF Swinderby

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7534
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a circular training flight at RAF Swinderby. Following a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft landed hard. All landing gears were sheared off and the aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all seven crew members were uninjured.
Crew (50th Squadron):
Sgt P. H. Blaskey 6.
Probable cause:
The pilot misinterpreted the wind direction for the landing configuration.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Lydda

Date & Time: Aug 11, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7794
Flight Type:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching Lydda Airport, the aircraft was too low, hit the ground several yards short of runway and crashed. While the aircraft was destroyed, the crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in RAF Coningsby

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7431
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reasons, the crew missed the approach and the aircraft landed hard. On touchdown, all landing gears were torn off and the aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. While all seven crew members were unhurt, the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Hard landing.

Crash of a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress in Belfast: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
FK207
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2676
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
While approaching Belfast-Nutts Corner Airport, the aircraft lost speed, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion as it was loaded with bombs. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Gordon Sanderson, pilot,
Ernie Bristow, copilot,
David Capel, air gunner,
Vic Fretter, air gunner,
Phil Foster, air gunner,
Harry Garcia, air gunner.