Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-3 off Scilly Islands: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1941 at 0944 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
4T+EH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3309
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by a Hurricane and crashed into the sea off Scilly Islands. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Franz Ringhofer, pilot,
Insp Kurt Heilig, observer,
Uffz Georg Beck, radio operator,
Gefr Paul Seela, radio operator,
Ofw Otto Wannek, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I near Ashton: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1941 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
W6483
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Saint Eval - Saint Eval
MSN:
9488
YOM:
1940
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF St Eval to attack a vessel in the Bay of Biscay. While returning to base in the afternoon, the crew encountered poor visibility when the airplane impact the slope of the Tregonning Hill near Ashton. The airplane was totally destroyed by impact forces and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Richards Harrison, pilot,
P/O Paul Francis Opperman, observer,
Sgt Harold Leslie Carter, wireless operator,
Sgt Dennis Albert Ryder, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.84 Dragon II off the Scilly Islands: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1941 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G-ACPY
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saint Mary's - Saint Just
MSN:
6076
YOM:
1934
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane was carrying five passengers and a pilot from Saint Mary's, Scilly Islands, to Saint-Just. While flying off the Scilly Islands, it was shot down by the pilot of a German Heinkel He.111 and crashed into the sea. All six occupants were killed, among them five members of the same family. The mother was secretary to the Director General of the Ministry of Information. The father was the Secretary of Anglo-Egyptian Chamber of Commerce in London. All were flying back to Saint-Just following holidays on the Scilly Islands. At the time of the accident, the airplane was under camouflage colourscheme.
Crew:
W. D. Anderson, pilot.
Passengers:
Sheelagh Leggitt,
John Leggitt,
Jeannie Leggitt (11 years old),
Romalita Leggitt (9 years old),
Georgina Griffith (mother of Mrs. Leggitt).
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 off Mousehole: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
7T+MH
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
8236
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Engaged in an operation to England, the bomber was shot down by ground fire while approaching the coast of Cornwall and crashed into the sea off Mousehole. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Uffz Helmut Köhn, pilot,
Lt Gerd Radau, observer,
Uffz Martin Grasser, radio operator,
Uffz Walter Müller, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-8 off Zennor: 5 killed

Date & Time: May 27, 1941 at 2215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
G1+AM
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chartres - Chartres
MSN:
3867
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Chartres on a reconnaissance mission. While flying over the Celtic Sea, it was shot down by a Spitfire and crashed some 2 km off Zennor. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Fw Lorenz Kempel, pilot,
Uffz Kurt Nuglan, observer,
Fw Martin Goebel, flight engineer,
Fw Otto Stadel, radio operator,
Gfr Josef Wiederer, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British flighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-5 off Falmouth: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 19, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
7T+BK
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
8219
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in an operation to England when it was shot down by ground fire and crashed into the sea off Falmouth. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Rolf Beitzke, pilot,
Uffz Erwin Mayer, radio operator,
Uffz Max Adam, mechanic,
Fw Richard Pape, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Perranporth

Date & Time: May 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7393
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington with a scratch crew to carry out an engine test, following recent grounding of the Manchesters. An engine fire developed while over the Bristol Channel, but by skilful airmanship, S/L McIntosh succeeded in a crash-landing at Perranporth Airfield, Cornwall. The airframe was later converted for instructional use. All eight occupants evacuated safely.
Crew (207th Squadron):
S/L J. C. McIntosh +7.
Probable cause:
Engine fire in flight.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Portreath

Date & Time: May 5, 1941 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V6377
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Portreath - Portreath
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Portreath at 1154LT on an operation to La Pallice, in La Rochelle. Approaching the harbor at low height, it clipped the mast of a ship while attacking a convoy. It crashed at 1500LT on return to base. A crew was injured.
Crew:
Sgt J. A. H. Kirkpatrick,
Sgt J. Burns,
Sgt V. E. White.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Scilly Islands: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AD753
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 1205LT on an operation to Brest. While flying at an altitude of 500 feet, it entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea off Scilly Islands. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Ronald Frank Cheesman,
P/O Hugh Murtagh Macrossan,
Sgt John Henry Matthews,
Sgt Frederick Richard Worthington.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I at RAF Saint Eval

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1941 at 0155 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P4403
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 1905LT on a mine laying operation off Lorient. The following night, it overshot and crashed into a hedge while trying to land at RAF St Eval. All four crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt Ball,
Sgt Batchelor,
Sgt J. H. Bentley,
Sgt Calvert.