Country
code

East Yorkshire

Crash of a Junkers JU.88A-1 off Flamborough: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Approaching the British Coast, the bomber was shot down by a Hurricane and crashed into the sea. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Dornier DO.17Z off Withernsea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 3, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5K+GL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Approaching the British coast, the airplane was shot down by the pilot of a Spitfire and crashed into the sea some 15 km off Withernsea. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Oblt Schurpkowski +3.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a RAF fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H4 off Grimsby

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5J+EL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wittmundhafen - Wittmundhafen
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While approaching the British coast, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea, some 40 km offshore. All four crew members were rescued and became PoW.
Crew (3. Staffel I/KG 4):
Ofw Hermann Draisbach, pilot,
Oblt Friedrich-Wilhelm Koch zur See, observer,
Fw Alfred Weber, wireless operator,
Ofw Rudolf Ernst, mechanic.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a RAF Spitfire.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111 off Hornsea: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 1940 at 0015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wittmundhafen - Wittmundhafen
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Approaching the British coast at night, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea off Hornsea. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a RAF fighter.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111P2 off Grimsby: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jun 26, 1940 at 0017 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5J+BL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wittmundhafen - Wittmundhafen
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew departed Wittmundhafen on a mission to Birmingham. While approaching the British coast at night, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the mouth of the Humber off Grimsby. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (3. Staffel I/KG 4):
Lt Helmut Furcht, pilot,
Hptm Heinz Schröder, observer,
Ofw Martin Hartel, wireless operator,
Fw Eugen Seitz, engineer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by an RAF fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort I off Spurn Head: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L4465
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
North Coates - North Coates
MSN:
8326
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF North Coates on a mine laying mission over the Elbe River. While cruising at night, the crew reported engine failure when the airplane crashed into the sea off Spurn Head. All four occupants were killed.
Crew:
F/O Arthur R. Fordham, pilot,
Sgt Gerald Greenwood, observer,
AC1 Joseph Wells, wireless operator,
LAC Edmund W. J. Picot, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Driffield

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1940 at 2240 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1368
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
1532
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a low level bombing practice exercise, the aircraft was returning to RAF Driffield. At the end of the landing run, the pilot braked but due to the wet grass runway, the aircraft skidded and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It went through the boundary fence, crossed a road and came to rest in a field. All five occupants escaped unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (77th Squadron):
P/O Kenneth Neil Gray, pilot,
Sgt John Hamilton Hopper, pilot,
Sgt Frederick John Bass, observer,
AC1 Alfred William Henry Hart, wireless operator,
AC2 George Main, air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley IV near RAF Driffield: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1939 at 1505 LT
Operator:
Registration:
K8958
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Driffield - Driffield
MSN:
1411
YOM:
1938
Flight number:
302
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While flying at an altitude of some 600 feet two miles north of RAF Driffield, the starboard elevator trim tab failed, causing the aircraft to go into a dive. Despite full backward pressure on the control column on part of the pilot-in-command, he was unable to prevent the crash landing. The aircraft hit the ground at a speed of 100 mph with the undercarriage locked down. Four crew members were injured and the pilot P/O Robert Clare Bisset was killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control in flight following the failure of the starboard elevator trim tab.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Holderness: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1939
Operator:
Registration:
L4136
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Hemswell on a solo training flight. The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in Holderness. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
P/O Charles Edward Jones, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I in Gransmoore

Date & Time: Jan 10, 1939
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1114
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cranfield - Cranfield
MSN:
8397
YOM:
1938
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Cranfield on a Command OPEX exercice. For unknown reasons, he was forced to make an emergency landing in Gransmoore. The pilot A. S. L Owensmith was uninjured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.