Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1942 at 2205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8372
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1757LT on an operation to Hanover. It was hit by Flak over the target, which wrecked the starboard engine. A successful single engine return was accomplished and the crew landed at 2205LT at RAF Stradishall. Upon touchdown, a flare which had hung up fell out and exploded, setting light to the Wellington. All six crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt L. Molata,
P/O Ginter,
F/O B. Z. Jarkowski,
Sgt Rulewski,
Sgt Florczak,
F/O M. Gorzenski.
Probable cause:
Destroyed by fire upon landing after a flare fell out and exploded.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV near Ampthill: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N6163
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cranfield - Cranfield
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Cranfield on a solo training flight. The airplane crashed for unknown reasons at King's Wood near Ampthill. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
Sgt Richard John Latham, pilot.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF North Luffenham: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942 at 2201 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AD765
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot was engaged in a local training exercise at RAF North Luffenham. The airplane crashed almost immediately after takeoff, killing the pilot.
Crew:
Sgt John Harrison Carr, pilot.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Meppen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942 at 2036 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z9315
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dishforth – Dishforth
MSN:
2379
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1703LT on a leaflet dropping mission over Germany (Nickel operation). It was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Meppen. Four crew members were killed and a fifth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Harvey Jennings Grut, pilot, †
Sgt Robert Alfred Hamilton, pilot, †
Sgt Charles Henry Stokell, wireless operator, †
Sgt Alfred Waterworth, air gunner, †
Sgt Vincent Sylvester Mancini.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II at RAF Binbrook: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942 at 1815 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W5585
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Binbrook - Binbrook
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 1815LT on an operation to Hannover. At liftoff, the left engine failed. The airplane lost height, impacted the ground and crashed against a concrete pillbox. Fifteen minutes after the crash, the load of bombs exploded. Four crew members were killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Anthony Gordon Walker, pilot, †
F/Sgt James Alexander Fleming, observer, †
Sgt Herbert Ernest Godson, wireless operator, †
Sgt Arthur Henry Coupe, air gunner, †
Sgt J. D. McKnight,
Sgt K. Scholes.
Probable cause:
Failure of the port engine upon takeoff.

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

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942 at 0540 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P1186
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Cottesmore - Cottesmore
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Cottesmore on a night high level bombing exercise with a crew of four on board. In the early morning, it entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed less than a mile north of Pinchbeck. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O Joseph Mitchell Marok, pilot,
P/O Walter Hugh Lynch, observer,
P/O Sydney Stanley White, observer,
Sgt Edward O’Connell, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
The cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Bodney: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5769
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bodney - Bodney
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bodney on a night training exercise. During the takeoff roll in dark conditions, while trying to gain speed, it flew into trees bordering the airfield and crashed. Two crew members were killed and a third was injured.
Crew:
Sgt Alfred Ronald Cheadle, pilot, †
Sgt Joseph Alban Eckersley, observer, †
Sgt H. Hargreaves, wireless operator.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Schiermonnikoog Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
Z9283
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dalton - Dalton
MSN:
2347
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dalton at 1701LT on an operation to Emden. While flying along the Dutch coast at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and is believed to have crashed into the sea some 50 km off Schiermonnikoog Island. Lost without trace. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Sgt Robert Kenneth Craig,
Sgt John Toker Clough Hazledine,
Sgt Peter May,
Sgt John Douglas White,
Sgt Joseph Greenwood Wilson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V off Schiermonnikoog Island: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
Z9423
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
MSN:
2401
YOM:
1942
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1712LT on an operation to Emden. While flying along the Dutch coast at night, it was shot down by a German fighter and is believed to have crashed into the sea some 50 km off Schiermonnikoog Island. Lost without trace. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt William John Atwell,
Sgt Hugh Stainger Brown,
F/Sgt Henry Grey-Noble,
Sgt Norman Stead,
P/O John Frederick Wright.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Douglas A-20 Havoc I in Box: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 26, 1942
Operator:
Registration:
AW395
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Colerne - Charmy Down
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from RAF Colerne, while on a short flight to the nearby airfield of RAF Charmy Down, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a field located in Box, about 4 km south of RAF Colerne. All three crew members were killed.
Crew.
Sgt Jozef Armanowski,
P/O Stanisław Gasak,
P/O Lynn Frederick Hobbs, observer.