Namur | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed RAF Alconbury at 1924LT on an operation to Nuremberg. It crashed in unknown circumstances in the vicinity of Dinant, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Ian Murray Vass Field, pilot,
Sgt Paul Fraser Collis, pilot,
F/O Eric John Sugg, observer,
Sgt Richard Anthony Dundon, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Thomas Lincoln Duxbury, wireless operator,
Sgt Henry Raymond Gordon Chapman, air gunner.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Gembloux: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1941 at 0244 LT

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

AD756

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Schedule:

Coningsby - Coningsby

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The airplane departed RAF Coningsby at 2205LT on August 16 on an operation to Düsseldorf. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by a Me.110 and crashed in Gembloux. Three crew members were killed and two others became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Leonard Acres, observer, †
P/O James Grant, †
P/O Gordon Geoffrey Watts, pilot, †
Sgt John Henry Cook,
Sgt Gordon Vivian Lynn.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II in Serinchamps: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 6, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5593

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Lindholme - Lindholme

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The airplane departed RAF Lindholme in the evening of August 5 on an operation to Frankfurt. Passing over Belgium, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near the village of Serinchamps. Three crew members were killed, one became PoW and two others evaded.
Crew:
S/L S. Scibior, pilot,
Sgt M. Kowalski,
Sgt Wacław Rybak, †
F/O Mieczysław Julian Saferna, †
F/O Jerzy Jan Stanisław Sukiennik, †
Sgt S. Tomicki.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Namur

Date & Time: Feb 18, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

T4264

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

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Schedule:

Stradishall - Stradishall

MSN:

1917

YOM:

1940

Location:

Namur

Country:

Belgium

Region:

Europe

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The airplane departed RAF Stradishall on a special duties operation. It was shot down by the German Flak over Belgium and crash landed in Namur. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
S/L Francis John Baptist Keast,
P/O Kenneth Stanley McMurdie,
F/O Eric Neil Baker,
Sgt David Waldo Davies,
Sgt David Harnold Bernard,
Cpl Archibald John Cameron.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Gembloux: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940 at 0630 LT

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4898

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9380

YOM:

1939

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The aircraft departed RAF Watton to bomb troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was lost without trace and it is believed it crashed in the target area.
Crew:
P/O Severin Christensen, pilot,
Sgt Alfred Norman Phillips, observer,
LAC Peter Raymond Victor Ettershank, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Gembloux: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4851

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9366

YOM:

1939

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The airplane departed RAF Watton at 0450LT to bomb German troops based in Gembloux, Belgium. It was shot down by the pilot of a German Me.109 and crashed near the target area. A crewman survived and two others were killed.
Crew:
F/O D. A. Fordham, pilot,
Sgt Frank Fearnley, observer,
Cpl Allen Glyndwr Richards, wireless operator and air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Gembloux: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

P4853

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Watton - Watton

MSN:

9368

YOM:

1939

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Crashed in unknown circumstances while on a bombing mission over Gembloux. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Sgt R. E. Newbatt,
Sgt J. K. Crawley,
Sgt A. V. Knowles.

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

Date & Time: May 12, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden

Operator:

Registration:

P1326

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Hemswell - Hemswell

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The airplane departed RAF Hemswell to bomb Möchengladbach. While approaching the target at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire that caused damages to the rudder controls and starboard engine. The pilot evacuated the area to the west and one hour later, instructed his crew to abandon the plane. He attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in a field located in Finnevaux. The pilot was killed and all three other crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
W/C A. N. Luxmoore, †
P/O R. Allitt,
Sgt H. Wathey,
Cpl R. Jolly.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Sauvenière

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1940

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 408 Wellington IA

Operator:

Registration:

N3004

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Newmarket - Newmarket

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The crew was engaged in the 'Nickel' mission to Hamburg and departed RAF Newmarket at 1713LT. While overflying Belgium, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing in Sauvenière, 3 km northeast of Gembloux. All six crew were rescued and later interned.
Crew (99th Squadron):
F/O O. L. Williams,
P/O R. A. G. Willis,
Sgt A. R. Mattick,
AC2 W. Cockburn,
AC2 C. G. Ashman,
P/O J. S. Trotter.