Royal Air Force - RAF | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1959LT on an operation to Lübeck. After passing north of Hamburg at night, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Ahrensfelde, some 20 km northeast of Hamburg. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Raymond Lawrence Hayes, pilot,
P/O David Robert Hart, pilot,
Sgt Charles Charles Nicholas Watkin, flight engineer,
P/O John Marr, observer,
Sgt Raymond Wyatt Page, wireless operator,
Sgt Leslie Donald Sollars, wireless operator,
Sgt victor Arthur Lionel Ellis, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I in Gnutz: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 2337 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

W7466

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1940LT on an operation to Lübeck. Approaching Neumünster at night, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in a field in Gnutz. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Mervyn Richard Robert Green, pilot,
Sgt Clarence William Starrett, pilot,
Sgt James Frederick Grimmett, flight engineer,
P/O John MacLean Murdock, navigator,
Sgt Edgar George Tapner, wireless operator,
Sgt Donald Ian Dunn, air gunner,
Cpt John Frimston Wyn-Griffith, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Klecken: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 2308 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 417 Wellington III

Operator:

Registration:

X3341

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Marham - Marham

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The airplane departed RAF Marham at 1953LT on an operation to Lübeck. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Klecken, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O John Allan Weller, pilot,
Sgt William Ballard, pilot,
F/O James Brian Maher, observer,
Sgt Edward Bolton Lawrence, wireless operator,
Sgt Herbert Lloyd Suckling, wireless operator,
Sgt Patrick Wilson, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Terschelling: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 2205 LT

Type of aircraft:

Short S.29 Stirling

Operator:

Registration:

W7501

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Oakington - Oakington

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The airplane departed RAF Oakington at 1938LT on an operation to Lübeck. Passing along the Dutch coast at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea off Terschelling. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Jeffrey Hugh Edwards,
Sgt Ronald Philip Cale,
Sgt Leonard Reil Eagle,
Sgt Louis Robert Martin Norris,
Sgt John Charles Lyon Banks,
F/Sgt John Thompson Graham,
Sgt Desmond Edward Sproule Sidney-Smith.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson III at RAF Manby

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 1504 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed L-414 Hudson

Operator:

Registration:

T9417

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Manby - Manby

MSN:

414-2452

YOM:

1941

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During the takeoff roll at RAF Manby, the twin engine airplane swerved on runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest, bursting into flames. The entire crew escaped uninjured and the airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
Sgt R. W. Kennard, pilot +3.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of an error on part of the pilot who failed to use the rudder to check a swing which developed during takeoff.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Bracebridge Heath: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 1320 LT

Type of aircraft:

Avro 683 Lancaster

Operator:

Registration:

R5501

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bottesford - Bottesford

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The airplane departed RAF Bottesford on a training exercise. While cruising in the vicinity of RAF Waddington, it collided with a RAF Miles Master registered DE973 carrying one pilot from RAF College Cranwell. Following the collision, both airplanes dove into the ground and crashed near Bracebridge Heath, north of the airbase. All five crew members in both aircrafts were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Norman Arthur Lingard, pilot,
Sgt Derek Anson Wood, pilot,
Sgt Ronald William Cox, observer,
Sgt Thomas Charles Massey, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I at RAF Church Fenton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0525 LT

Type of aircraft:

Airspeed AS.10 Oxford

Operator:

Registration:

V3990

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Church Fenton - Church Fenton

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The pilot was completing a local solo training flight at RAF Church Fenton. While circling in the vicinity of the airbase at night, he lost control of the airplane that crashed north of the airfield. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Hylton George Cullen, pilot.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Kettlewell

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0525 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

Z9481

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

2443

YOM:

1942

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The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2029LT on March 27 on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Unable to locate the target area due to poor weather conditions, the crew decided to return to base the following morning. The airplane strayed off course until it impacted the slope of Mt Great Whernside located two miles northeast of Kittlewell. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/Sgt Ernest Clow, pilot,
P/O Arthur Scott, pilot,
Sgt Richard Stanley Ryder, observer,
Sgt George Fraser MacKay, wireless operator,
Sgt William Arthur Jones, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Henry Craven, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Ilkley

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0510 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

Z9274

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Dishforth – Dishforth

MSN:

2338

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2024LT on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Due to poor weather conditions over the target area, the crew was unable to locate Saint-Nazaire and returned to base. On the return leg, the airplane drifted off course to the west. In low visibility over high ground, it impacted the ground and crashed two miles south of Ilkley. All five crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Donald Graham Bray, pilot,
P/O P. D. Smith, observer,
Sgt Harold Downs Reeder, wireless operator,
Sgt George Hugh Whyte, wireless operator,
P/O John Bryce Duncan, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Kirby Malzaerd: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 28, 1942 at 0400 LT

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

Z9221

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Leeming - Leeming

MSN:

2326

YOM:

1941

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Circumstances:

The airplane departed RAF Leeming in the evening of March 27 on an operation to Saint-Nazaire. Due to poor weather conditions over the target area, the crew was unable to locate Saint-Nazaire and returned to base. On the return leg, the airplane drifted off course. In low visibility over high ground, it impacted trees and crashed in a wooded area near Kirby Malzaerd, bursting into flames. The observer was killed and four other crew members were injured. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.
Crew:
P/O James Arnold Harrison, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Wallace Paul Emile Louthood, pilot,
Sgt Douglas Murton Colledge, observer,
F/Sgt Michael O'Donovan-Fuller, wireless operator,
Sgt Andrew McArthur Waddell, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

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