Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Snettisham

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1941 at 0325 LT
Operator:
Registration:
X3007
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1730LT on February 11 on an operation to Hanover. While returning to base the following night, it was abandoned by the crew over Kirton Lindsey. Nevertheless, it flew on for nearly 70 miles before crashing at 0325LT at Kenhill Wood in Snettisham. All four crew members were uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt E. Dainty,
Sgt L. A. F. Wilmot,
Sgt T. Grosvenor,
Sgt G. Bottomley.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V near RAF Bircham Newton

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
T4217
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
MSN:
1890
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1843LT on February 11 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following night, the crew were unable to pinpoint their position and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed near RAF Bircham Newton. All five crew members were rescued, among them three were injured.
Crew:
Sgt R. A. Congdon,
P/O N. E. Sharp,
Sgt D. Mathewman,
Sgt L. J. Allum,
Sgt Salt.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Wattonr: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1941 at 0310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z5877
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Watton - Watton
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Watton at 2210LT on February 10 on an operation to Hanover. While returning to base the following night, it was shot down by the pilot of a JU.88 and crashed while circling to land at RAF Watton. Two crew were seriously injured and a third was killed. One of the survivors later died from injuries sustained.
Crew:
Sgt Albert Chattaway, pilot, †
P/O George Eltham Sharville, observer, †
Sgt Birch, wireless operator.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Narborough

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1941 at 0145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1084
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2035LT on February 10 on an operation to Hanover. The following night, while returning to base, it was shot down by the pilot of a German fighter and crash landed in Narborough. A crew was injured and five others were unhurt.
Crew:
Sgt R. Hill,
Sgt H. H. Rogers,
Sgt W. J. W. Robson,
Sgt W. T. Bennett,
Sgt D. D. Baird,
Sgt R. Benson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Cawston: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1941 at 0650 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P4405
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 0220LT on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. While returning to base the following morning, the crew called for assistance when the airplane crashed into Bluestone Plantation between Heydon and Cawston. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Walter Eric Frutiger, pilot,
Sgt Robert Arthur Chanin, pilot,
Sgt John Edward Hill, wireless operator,
Sgt Robert Alfred Gapp, wireless operator.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I in Taverham

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1941 at 0615 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P4359
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Hemswell - Hemswell
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 0107LT on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base the following morning, the crew got lost. Due to an unserviceable wireless, the crew were unable to ascertain their position and decided to abandon the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed between two army Nissen huts in Taverham Park, about 4 miles west of RAF Horsham St Faith, bursting into flames. All four crew members were uninjured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Sgt R. H. Pearman,
Sgt H. Masters,
Sgt H. E. Turner,
Sgt A. R. Simmons.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV at RAF Bodney: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1941 at 1939 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N3553
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bodney - Bodney
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bodney at 1939LT on an operation to Düsseldorf. Shortly after takeoff, it came down in trees, impacted a brick wall and crashed near the airfield. Two crew members were killed and a third was seriously injured. He died soon afterwards from injuries sustained.
Crew:
P/O Peter Hharry Moller, pilot,
Sgt Arthur John Norman, observer,
Sgt Frederick Herbert Harry Taylor, wireless operator.

Crash of a Vickers 408 Wellington IA in Wormegay: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1941 at 1155 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
P9207
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marham - Marham
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed RAF Marham on his first solo training flight. While circling in the area of the airbase, he lost control of the airplane that crashed near Wormegay. The pilot was killed.
Crew:
F/O Phillip Frederick MacLaren, pilot.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Strumpshaw

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1941 at 1825 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
V5375
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bodney - Bodney
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Bodney at 1506LT on an operation to Rotterdam. It crashed at 1825LT into a field at Strumpshaw, bursting into flames. The pilot was trapped in the burning wreckage and was save from death by the prompt action of local villagers. Prior to the crash, he had just ordered his crew to bail out.
Crew:
Sgt T. H. Cooke,
Sgt A. J. Jackman,
Sgt H. R. Perry.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim I at RAF West Raynham

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1941 at 1215 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L1100
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
West Raynham - White Waltham
MSN:
8383
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 West Raynham on a ferry flight to White Waltham. Upon takeoff, the airplane stalled and crashed onto a hangar and was destroyed. The pilot was seriously injured.
Crew.
Cpt Carill Stanley Napier, pilot.
Probable cause:
The airplane could not get sufficient height and speed upon takeoff because the pilot took a too short run. This was aggravated by a loss of engine power because the throttles creeping back as friction adjusting nut had not been tightened up.