Crash of a Douglas DC-3 Dakota IV in Sileby: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
KJ835
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
25619/14174
YOM:
1944
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Few minutes after take off from a local RAF station, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls and icing. After the carburetors got iced, control was lost and the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing all three crew members.
Crew (108th OTU):
W/O Frederick Edward Henry Dobson, pilot,
Sgt Edgar James Wilmot, navigator,
Sgt Ronald James Hillsdon, wireless operator.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I in Corney Fell: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945 at 0450 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EF935
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Wigtown - Wigtown
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was conducting a night training exercise from RAF Wigtown. While cruising in marginal weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of a shrouded mountain located in Corney Fell, in the region of Bootle. A crew member was killed while three others were injured.
Crew (1st AFU):
W/O Harold Biffen, wireless operator and air gunner, †
F/Sgt J. A. Stephen, pilot, +2.
Source: http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/ef935.html

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Dunkirk: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MG552
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Knokke le Zoute Airfield, near Zeebrugge, to England. While approaching Dunkirk, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing all four crew members. It appears that the crew was flying too close to the city of Dunkirk which was still occupied by the German forces.
Crew (276th Squadron):
W/Cdr Norman John Starr,
W/Cdr James Heathcote Humphris,
S/L Henry Crawford Haley,
F/O Rowland Baker Moore.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Vickers 456 Warwick I near Dinsdale: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BV233
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thornaby - Thornaby
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a radio navigation exercise out from RAF Thornaby. While approaching Dinsdale at an altitude of 500 feet, the aircraft was 'attacked' by the pilots of two RAF Hurricanes that were conducting an unauthorized practice interception of the bomber. To evade the 'attack', the pilot of the Warwick attempted a steep climb when he lost control of the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in a field. All six crew members were killed.
Crew (279th Squadron):
F/L Harvey Luck, pilot,
F/L Ronald Cooper, navigator.
F/O Desmond Holland, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Frederick Ritchie, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Robert Woolfield, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt James Wiles, air gunner.
Source: http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=161987
Probable cause:
Loss of control.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Mt Roaches: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1945 at 1603 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
NF908
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington at 1430LT for a fighter affiliation exercise with an alternative of a one hour cross country navigation exercise, should the weather have been deemed suitable. About 90 minutes into the flight with the sun almost set (sun-set was 16:03) the aircraft descended through low cloud and snow showers and flew into the eastern side of the Roaches a few miles from the Staffordshire town of Leek and was completely destroyed by fire. The wreckage was found six days later and all 7 crew members were killed.
Crew (467th Squadron):
F/O Walter Vernon Wilfred Allamby, pilot,
Sgt Norman Lees, flight engineer,
F/Lt Jack Ivan Pritchard, navigator,
F/Lt Geoffrey James Dunbar, blomb aimer,
F/Sgt Richard Emonson, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Thomas Edward Harold Wright, air gunner,
F/Sgt Cleveland Charles Watson, air gunner.
Source & photos:
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/pages/peakdistrict/peakdistrictnf908.htm

Crash of an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford I in Woodford Halse

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V3878
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Snitterfield - Snitterfield
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a supply mission from RAF Snitterfield. En route, severe icing conditions forced the crew to abandon the aircraft that crashed in a field and was destroyed. Both crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Icing conditions.

Crash of an Avro 652 Anson I near Corney: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
LT741
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Jurby - Millom
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from RAF Jurby, Isle of Man, to RAF Millom. In poor weather conditions, the twin engine aircraft impacted the slope of Mt Black Combe located near Corney. Three crew members were killed instantly while the fourth occupant later died from injuries sustained. The wreckage was spotted eight days after the crash.
Crew:
F/Sgt Arthur J. Wood, pilot,
W/O Thomas W. Johnson, air gunner,
Sgt James L. Turner, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Kenneth D. Jenkins, wireless operator.

Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster III in Vilt: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ME321
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mepal - Mepal
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Mepal at 1548LT on a bombing mission to Vohwinkel. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Vilt. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (75th Squadron)
W/Cdr Raymond John Newton, pilot,
P/O Richard Justin Aitchinson, pilot,
F/Sgt John Stanley Hoskins,
F/Sgt Arthur Lee,
Sgt Martin Brennan, air gunner,
Sgt Victor James Clark,
Sgt Leonard James Cooke,
Sgt Harry Sansome.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator on Hoy Island: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 1, 1945
Operator:
Registration:
FL949
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Wick - Wick
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base in Wick following a maritime patrol flight above the North Atlantic. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds, high winds and heavy snow falls. The aircraft impacted the slope of a mountain located on Hoy Island. The wreckage was found about 100 feet below the summit. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew (311st Squadron):
W/O Oldrich Bures, pilot,
Sgt Milos Bodlak, copilot,
F/Sgt Otto Mandler, navigator,
F/Sgt Zdenek Launer, flight engineer,
F/Sgt Ivo Karel Englander, wireless operator air gunner,
Sgt Martin Dorniak, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Antoni Bednar, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/Sgt Jaroslav Zapletal, wireless operator and air gunner.

Explosion of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax III in RAF Elvington: 13 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1944 at 1425 LT
Operator:
Registration:
NA174
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Elvington - Elvington
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
While being prepared for a bombing mission over Möchengladbach, a fire broke out in the cargo bay and a bomb exploded. Four other detonations occurred, disintegrating the aircraft and killing thirteen airmen. Five others were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
Bomb explosion.