Country
France
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Finistère

Crash of a Bristol 152 Beaufort II in Plouguerneau: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Bristol 152 Beaufort
Operator:
Registration:
AW253
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
9948
YOM:
1941
Location:
Plouguerneau
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was on an operation to Brest when it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Plouguerneau. The entire crew was killed.
Crew:
P/O Mehdi Khan, pilot,
Sgt Joseph Denham, observer,
Sgt Robert Stewart Abbey McLarty, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Willison Turnbull, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Morgat: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7472
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge
Location:
Morgat
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Woolfox Lodge at 1845LT on January 31 on an operation to Brest. While returning to base on the following night, the bomber was shot down by the German Flak. A crew member bailed out but his parachute failed to deploy and he was killed. Later, the airplane crash landed in the sea off Morgat and was lost. A second crew member drowned while six others became PoW.
Crew (61st Squadron):
F/Sgt Stephen Joseph MacLean, †
Sgt Geoffrey Herbert Marshall, †
F/Lt Ronald Duncan Fraser,
Sgt Albert William Hadley,
F/Lt William Hugh Hannigan,
Sgt Brian Henderson Mullen,
F/Sgt William Hugh Shorrock,
F/Sgt Thomas William Walsh.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I in Brélès: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
R5787
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge
Location:
Brélès
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Woolfox Lodge at 1805LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Blérès. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/O John Robert Bruno Parsons, pilot, †
Sgt William Thomas Holmes, observer, †
Sgt Kenneth William McCaskill, wireless operator, †
Sgt Thomas Arthur Butterworth, air gunner, †
Sgt Robert Victor Griffiths,
Sgt Leonard Wright,
Sgt Reginald Thomas Kindred.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden
Operator:
Registration:
AT149
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
North Luffenham - North Luffenham
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
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 on an operation to Brest. It crashed for unknown reason while approaching the target area, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
W/O Arthur Norman Mowlam, pilot,
Sgt George James Linegar, observer,
Sgt William Black, wireless operator,
Sgt Clarence James Stringer, wireless operator.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Crozon: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
L7322
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Bottesford - Bottesford
Location:
Crozon
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bottesford at 0354LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the Bay of Douarnenez, off Crozon. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (207th Squadron):
F/O George Reginald Bayley, pilot,
Sgt Noel Messines Toohill,
Sgt Alexander Gordon Harris,
Sgt Richard Vivian Griffiths,
F/Sgt John Elias Jones,
Sgt Peter Charles Herbert Goldie,
Sgt William Rex Seymour.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II in Porspoder: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
V9979
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
Location:
Porspoder
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse at 1125LT on an operation to Brest. Flying along the French coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Porspoder. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Stuart Auldjo Middleton, pilot,
P/O Robert Alexander Fisher Frew, pilot,
Sgt Arthur Stanley Greenwood, flight engineer,
P/O Leslie John Percival Foster, observer,
Sgt Peter Clement Godwyn Maflin, wireless operator,
Sgt John Albert Orton, wireless operator,
Sgt Matthew George Kipling, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II off Batz Island: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax II
Operator:
Registration:
L9615
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Middleton St George - Middleton St George
Location:
Batz Island
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Middleton St George at 1122LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the French coast, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed into the sea off Batz Island. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Lawrence Blair,
Sgt Frederick Eaton,
Sgt William Ralph Gates,
P/O Douglas Stuart King,
Sgt Peter Davies Randall,
Sgt Hubert John Toski,
Sgt Stanley Maurice Wilson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester I off Brest: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941 at 1403 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 679 Manchester
Operator:
Registration:
R5795
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waddington at 0934LT on an operation to Brest. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed into the sea some 7 km off Brest. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt John Robert Conn, †
Sgt George Gardiner Fell, †
Sgt Morton Ralph Heinish, †
P/O Neville George Stokes, †
Sgt Isaac Hewitt,
Sgt Gwynne Pryce Thomas,
Sgt Thomas Michael Wade.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Junkers JU.88D-1 in Morlaix: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Junkers JU.88
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
1291
Location:
Morlaix
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was shot down by a British fighter and crashed upon landing at Morlaix Airport. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Ogefr Gerhard Pelz, pilot,
Lt Hans-Detlef Lindemann, observer,
Uffz Fritz Grassmann, radio operator,
Uffz Eduard Martin, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.

Crash of a Short S.29 Stirling I off Brest: 8 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Short S.29 Stirling
Operator:
Registration:
W7428
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Wyton - Wyton
Location:
Brest
Finistère
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Wyton on an operation to Brest. Over the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109, caught fire and crashed into the sea. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Gordon Bunce,
P/O Roland Niall Chancellor,
Sgt David Ferguson,
Sgt Kenneth Ainslie Jeffreys,
Sgt Patrick George Osman,
F/Sgt James Lloyd Ruthven,
Sgt Robert Shearer,
F/Sgt Wilfred Wooldridge.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
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