Country
code
Groningen
Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in Nieuwolda: 7 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 23, 1944
Operator:
Registration:
LL892
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Waddington - Waddington
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew left RAF Waddington in the evening on a bombing mission to Braunschweig. While overflying The Netherlands by night, the crew encountered unknown problems and the captain reduced his altitude in attempting an emergency landing. While flying at low height and while in flames, the bomber eventually went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located in Nieuwolda, east of Groningen. All seven crew members were killed and the aircraft was totally destroyed on impact.
Crew (463rd Squadron):
P/O Charles Schomberg, pilot,
F/L Hubert Petts, navigator,
F/P Leonard Calderwood, mid up gunner,
F/S James Harden, bomb aimer,
F/S Donald McDonald, tail gunner,
F/S Wilfred Millar, wireless operator,
Sgt Harry Steels, engineer.
Crew (463rd Squadron):
P/O Charles Schomberg, pilot,
F/L Hubert Petts, navigator,
F/P Leonard Calderwood, mid up gunner,
F/S James Harden, bomb aimer,
F/S Donald McDonald, tail gunner,
F/S Wilfred Millar, wireless operator,
Sgt Harry Steels, engineer.
Crash of a Boeing B-17F-50-DL Flying Fortress in Bellingwolde: 10 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 8, 1943 at 1508 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-3386
Survivors:
No
MSN:
8322
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The aircraft left its base in UK in 1153LT on a bombing mission to Bremen. While flying over The Netherlands, the aircraft collided with a German fighter and crashed in a field, killing all ten crew members.
Crew (351st BS):
S/Sgt William A. Avery Jr.,
2nd Lt Edward J. Fox,
1st Lt Raymond J. Gormley,
2nd Lt William J. Heath,
S/Sgt Donald R. Hilton,
T/Sgt Jay B. McPhee,
2nd Lt Peter T. Motta,
S/Sgt Charles Presley,
S/Sgt Clay E. Rife,
T/Sgt Dale A. Von Seggern.
Crew (351st BS):
S/Sgt William A. Avery Jr.,
2nd Lt Edward J. Fox,
1st Lt Raymond J. Gormley,
2nd Lt William J. Heath,
S/Sgt Donald R. Hilton,
T/Sgt Jay B. McPhee,
2nd Lt Peter T. Motta,
S/Sgt Charles Presley,
S/Sgt Clay E. Rife,
T/Sgt Dale A. Von Seggern.
Probable cause:
In flight collision with a German fighter.
Crash of a Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress in Vriescheloo: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 26, 1943 at 1300 LT
Operator:
Registration:
42-30156
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thurleigh - Thurleigh
MSN:
5270
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The four engine bomber left RAF Thurleigh in the morning on a bombing mission to Hanover, Germany. Following an uneventful mission and while returning to its base, the aircraft was hit by the German Flak and shot down by the pilot of a German fighter. A crew member was killed while nine other occupants bailed out. Unfortunately, two of them were killed as their parachute did not open properly.
Crew (423th Squadron):
Wes Courson, pilot,
Roy Bronson, copilot,
Ted Grezlak, navigator,
Henry Lynch, bombardier,
John Champion, flight engineer,
Cedric White, air gunner,
Bill Lamb, air gunner,
S/Sgt William G. Dayton, radio operator, †
Sgt Dock G. Thomas Jr., air gunner, †
Sgt Robert C. Stevens, air gunner. †
Crew (423th Squadron):
Wes Courson, pilot,
Roy Bronson, copilot,
Ted Grezlak, navigator,
Henry Lynch, bombardier,
John Champion, flight engineer,
Cedric White, air gunner,
Bill Lamb, air gunner,
S/Sgt William G. Dayton, radio operator, †
Sgt Dock G. Thomas Jr., air gunner, †
Sgt Robert C. Stevens, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak and a German fighter as well.
Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Froombosch: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 21, 1942 at 2115 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AT119
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 1719LT on an operation to Emden. It was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Froombosch. Three crew members were killed and a fourth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Ian Macpherson Ince, †
Sgt George Edmondson Wilkinson, †
Sgt Samuel Williams, †
Sgt G. F. Poulton.
Crew:
Sgt Ian Macpherson Ince, †
Sgt George Edmondson Wilkinson, †
Sgt Samuel Williams, †
Sgt G. F. Poulton.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Delfzijl: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 21, 1942 at 2059 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AE352
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Swinderby - Swinderby
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Swinderby at 1720LT on an operation to Emden. It was shot down by the German Flak and crashed in Delfzijl, about 27 km northeast of Groningen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Evan Hamilton Thompson, pilot,
F/O James Ernest Field Stanfield, navigator,
Sgt Wilfred Giles, wireless operator,
Sgt William Ernest Mabbett, air gunner.
Crew:
Sgt Evan Hamilton Thompson, pilot,
F/O James Ernest Field Stanfield, navigator,
Sgt Wilfred Giles, wireless operator,
Sgt William Ernest Mabbett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by the German Flak.
Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Groningen: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Jan 20, 1942 at 2058 LT
Operator:
Registration:
AT148
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Scampton – Scampton
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Scampton at 1705LT on an operation to Emden. Over the Netherlands, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in Groningen. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/O Alexander Muir Harvey, pilot,
Sgt William Arthur Bill Gray, observer,
Sgt John William Hallam, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Mannering Knapman, air gunner.
Crew:
F/O Alexander Muir Harvey, pilot,
Sgt William Arthur Bill Gray, observer,
Sgt John William Hallam, wireless operator,
Sgt Richard Mannering Knapman, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Lauwersoog: 6 killed
Date & Time:
Nov 30, 1941 at 2305 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z1099
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at the end of the afternoon on an operation to Emden. In the late evening, while cruising along the Dutch coast, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea off Lauwersoog. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Buckby,
F/Sgt Francis Charles Harrison-Smith,
Sgt Bryan Dominic Meagher, wireless operator,
Sgt Daniel McCready,
Sgt Eric Henry James Painter,
Sgt Douglas Victor Sizmur.
Crew:
Sgt Peter Buckby,
F/Sgt Francis Charles Harrison-Smith,
Sgt Bryan Dominic Meagher, wireless operator,
Sgt Daniel McCready,
Sgt Eric Henry James Painter,
Sgt Douglas Victor Sizmur.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near Bierum
Date & Time:
Nov 8, 1941 at 0615 LT
Operator:
Registration:
Z6839
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
MSN:
2199
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 2229LT on November 7 on an operation to Berlin. While returning to base the following night, the airplane suffered an engine failure and was abandoned by the crew who became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Joseph Kelly,
Sgt Alfred Weldon MacMurray,
Sgt Arthur James Robottom,
Sgt John Higgan Telfer,
Sgt Sidney Thomas Wilkins.
Crew:
Sgt Charles Joseph Kelly,
Sgt Alfred Weldon MacMurray,
Sgt Arthur James Robottom,
Sgt John Higgan Telfer,
Sgt Sidney Thomas Wilkins.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson V off Rottumeroog Island: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Nov 5, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
AE655
Survivors:
No
MSN:
414-3008
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a maritime patrol flight when it crashed in unknown circumstances in the Waddenzee off Rottumeroog Island. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
P/O James Francis Codville, pilot,
F/Sgt Francis Thomas James, observer,
F/Sgt Richard Leonard Armsby, wireless operator,
Sgt Guy Nelson Bryan, wireless operator.
Crew:
P/O James Francis Codville, pilot,
F/Sgt Francis Thomas James, observer,
F/Sgt Richard Leonard Armsby, wireless operator,
Sgt Guy Nelson Bryan, wireless operator.
