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Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Pocklington: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
Z8536
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Pocklington AFB
East Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1856LT on an operation to Kiel. While climbing, an engine caught fire. The bomb load was jettisoned but due to low altitude, the bomber was caught in the blast when two of the bomb exploded and it came down four minutes after takeoff in the southern outskirts of Yapham village, north of the airbase. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Reginald Francis Robb, pilot,
F/Sgt Charles Hackney, pilot,
W/O Thomas Herbert Bennett, navigator,
F/Sgt Charles Harold Latshaw Brown, wireless operator,
Sgt Keith Winterton, wireless operator,
Sgt Norman Anthony Morgan, air gunner.
Probable cause:
An engine caught fire shortly after takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc I off Margate: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 1540 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas A-20 Havoc/DB-7 Boston
Operator:
Registration:
BB900
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Manston - Manston
Location:
Margate
Kent
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Manston Airport on a local training exercise (proficiency check). An engine failed in flight and the airplane was ditched in the sea off Margate. The observer was killed and three other crew members were rescued.
Crew:
P/O Offord, pilot,
F/Sgt James Gerard Shandley, observer, +2.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Marham

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N3715
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Location:
Marham AFB
Norfolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training exercise at RAF Marham. Upon landing, the undercarriage collapsed and the airplane came to rest. All seven crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
Sgt Tompkins,
Sgt Savage,
Sgt Scammell,
Sgt Carroll,
Sgt Barnes,
Sgt Brooks,
Sgt Howes.
Probable cause:
Failure of the undercarriage caused by a broken pylon at the lower bolt attachment.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Hexthorpe: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 0300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
L4178
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Location:
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Luffenham in the evening of February 25 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and apparently missed the airbase. Eventually, the airplane ran out of fuel and crashed in Hexthorpe, in the southwestern outskirts of Doncaster. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Reginald Alfred Bland, pilot,
F/O Harold Edward Aspey, observer,
F/Sgt John Balfour Gray, wireless operator,
Sgt John Arthur Eves, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Westerland-Sylt: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942 at 0055 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5516
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Pocklington - Pocklington
Location:
Westerland-Sylt
Schleswig-Holstein
Country:
Germany
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Pocklington at 1859LT on an operation to Kiel. Approaching the German coast at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed into the sea west of Westerland-Sylt. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt James Alexander Robson, pilot,
W/Cdr Gordon Dale Macallister, pilot,
Sgt John Henry Dyson, observer,
F/Sgt Melvin Peter Frederick Robson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Edmund Cecil Phillips, wireless operator,
F/Sgt William Stapleton Piers, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II into the North Sea: 7 killedc

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
V9986
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
Location:
North Sea
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Leeming at 1823LT on an operation to Kiel. It failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere in the North Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Alexander Bissett,
Sgt Clifford Francis Darwin,
Sgt William Arthur Ivor Glanville,
Sgt John Harold Jeffries,
Sgt Edward Hopkin Simmons,
Sgt John Joseph Westland,
F/Sgt Ernest Victor Hallam Wieland.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Nakuru

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 142 Blenheim
Operator:
Registration:
L6659
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Nakuru - Nakuru
Location:
Nakuru
Rift Valley
Country:
Kenya
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Nakuru Airstrip on behalf of the 70 OTU. During the takeoff roll, a tyre burst. The airplane swung and the undercarriage collapsed. Both crew members escaped uninjured while the airplane was damaged beyond repair.
Crew:
P/O King, instructor,
Sgt McDonald, student pilot.
Probable cause:
A tyre burst during takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Tønder: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 2215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 406 Wellington II
Operator:
Registration:
W5423
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Location:
Tønder
Syddanmark
Country:
Denmark
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1900LT on an operation to Kiel. It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Tønder, south Denmark, near the German border. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Jan Orzechowski, pilot,
P/O Stanisław Jozef Zeromski, pilot,
F/O Aleksander Roman Golczewski, observer,
F/O Mieczysław Gorzenski, observer,
P/O Walerain Feliks Gidaszewski, wireless operator,
Sgt Edward Ceglowski, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 0554 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers 416 Wellington IC
Operator:
Registration:
X9939
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Location:
Stradishall AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall at 2302LT on February 25 on an operation to Kiel. It was hit by the German Flak and subsequently crashed upon landing while returning to base the following morning. Three crew members were injured.
Crew:
F/O E. D. Baker
Sgt J. A. Lancaster,
Sgt A. C. Cole,
F/Sgt S. S. Dawes,
Sgt E. G. W. Shotter,
F/Sgt E. H. Erby.
Probable cause:
Hit by the German Flak.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I at RAF Mildenhall: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1942 at 0545 LT
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
N6067
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Mildenhall AFB
Suffolk
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
18
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton at 2337LT on February 25 on an operation to Kiel. While returning to base the following night, the airplane went off course. Due to lack of fuel, the crew diverted to RAF Mildenhall but the engine failed on approach. It crash landed in a field and came to rest against a stone wall, about 200 yards from the airbase. Seven crew members escaped uninjured while the front gunner was killed.
Crew:
S/L Matthew Drummond Henderson Wilson, pilot,
Sgt Robert Lorraine Melville, copilot,
Sgt Ely, flight engineer,
F/O Clifford G. Reeve, navigator,
Sgt Daniel Lammie, bomb aimer,
Sgt Johnnie Noel Spalding, air gunner,
Sgt William Edmund Chambers, air gunner,
Lt Louis Bingham Murray, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure caused by a fuel exhaustion.
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