Country
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North Yorkshire

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I near Barningham

Date & Time: Oct 5, 1940 at 2020 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P2072
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cottesmore - Cottesmore
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed RAF Cottesmore on a night training flight. En route, he encountered poor visibility en became lost. The pilot descended through clouds in an attempt to locate his position when the aircraft struck the ground and crashed at How Tallon, about 5 km southwest of Barningham. All four crew members were rescued, among them two were injured.
Crew:
P/O Derrick John Fielder, pilot,
Sgt Andrew Ogilvie Hawes, pilot,
Sgt A. C. White, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Reginald Wilfred Gray, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Linton-on-Ouse: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1940 at 2059 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N1470
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Linton-on-Ouse - Linton-on-Ouse
MSN:
1610
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Linton-on-Ouse on a raid over Berlin. Shortly after liftoff, while climbing, it stalled and crashed 800 metres past the runway end, bursting into flames. Three crew members were killed and two others were seriously injured.
Crew (58th Squadron):
Sgt Herbert Cornish, pilot, †
F/O Arnold Irwin Watterson, pilot, †
Sgt Leslie Hambleton Taylor, observer, †
Sgt R. Fowlie, wireless operator,
Sgt John William Chamberlain, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of engine power after takeoff.

Crash of a Lockheed L-414 Hudson I at RAF Thornaby: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1940 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7233
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
414-1629
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed. The pilot was killed while all three other occupants were injured.
Crew (220th Squadron):
P/O John Irvine Humphreys, pilot, †
P/O R. Billings, pilot,
LAC T. G. Bellas, wireless operator,
AC1 S. Hildreth, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Loss of control after takeoff following an engine failure.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Leeming: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 11, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
N1431
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Topcliffe - Leeming
MSN:
1585
YOM:
1939
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to RAF Leeming following a reconnaissance mission. After landing, the aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and collided with military houses. All five crew evacuated safely while three people on the ground were killed.
Crew (77th Squadron):
P/O Peter Ernest Eldridge, pilot,
S/Lt Peter Owen Williams, pilot,
Sgt Victor Charles Cowley, observer,
Sgt Frank Crawford, wireless operator,
Sgt Raymond Carter Dawson, air gunner.
Those killed on the ground were:
AC2 Arthur Bunclark Annis,
AC2 Henry Baird,
LAC Harold Hemsley.

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

Date & Time: Sep 9, 1940 at 0453 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P5094
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
MSN:
1802
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed RAF Leeming at 0006LT on an operation over Ostend, Belgium. On the return leg, while on a night approach, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance available due to the failure of the hydraulic system. It overran, collided with a fence and came to rest on the Great North Road, bursting into flames. The Captain was slightly injured.
Crew (10th Squadron):
P/O J. C. Cairns, pilot,
Sgt V. Snell, pilot,
P/O F. R. Goddard, observer,
Sgt R. E. Nicholson, wireless operator,
Sgt A. S. Shand, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Failure of the hydraulic system.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Nether Silton

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1940 at 0645 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P4967
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Leeming - Leeming
MSN:
1694
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed RAF Leeming at 2026LT on September 3 on a bombing mission over Berlin. The following morning, while returning to its base, it ran low on fuel and crash landed, undercarriage still retracted, in a small field located at Hall Farm, in Nether Silton, North Yorkshire. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crew (10th Squadron):
F/Lt Dennis Brendon Geoffrey Tomlinson, pilot,
P/O Kenneth Douglas Brant, pilot,
Sgt Wilfred Campbell "Sammy" Walters, observer,
Sgt Patrick Joseph Hughes, wireless operator,
Sgt Angus J. McIntosh, air gunner.
Source and photos:
http://www.yorkshire-aircraft.co.uk/aircraft/planes/40/p4967.html
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

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

Date & Time: Sep 3, 1940 at 2210 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P5011
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dishforth - Dishforth
MSN:
1733
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training exercice out from RAF Dishforth. For unknown reasons, the airplane failed to become airborne and ran through the perimeter fence, losing its tail and coming to rest in a field bordering the Great North Road. All four crew members escaped uninjured.
Crew:
Sgt J. E. Tilston,
Sgt H. Gregson,
Sgt J. P. Wilson,
Sgt N. Atkin.

Crash of a Blackburn B-26 Botha I off Redcar: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L6165
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Thornaby - Thornaby
MSN:
7864/12
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a training mission over the North Sea. While returning to his base at night, the pilot was forced to evacuate the area because of the presence of enemy aircraft. Shortly later, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Redcar. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (608th Squadron):
P/O Terence Hugh Creed, pilot,
AC1 Thomas Edward Corrigan,
AC2 George Beadnall.

Crash of a Handley Page H.P.52 Hampden I off Scarborough

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1940 at 0750 LT
Operator:
Registration:
P2124
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lindholme - Lindholme
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Lindholme at 2201LT on August 25 on a bombing mission over Berlin. The following morning, while returning to his base, the crew was forced to ditch the airplane off Scarborough due to fuel exhaustion. All four crew members were rescued.
Crew:
P/O G. A. C. Potts, pilot,
P/O R. S. Hook, observer,
Sgt Wood, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt Ashmore, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Aircraft ditched into the sea due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Heinkel He.111H-2 off Scarborough: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 21, 1940 at 1625 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
A1+PT
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lille - Lille
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While approaching the British coast, the twin engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of an RAF Spitfire and crashed into the sea some 24 km off Scarborough. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (9. Staffel III/KG 53):
Fw Otto Henkel, pilot,
Hptm Georg Pfeiffer, observer,
Gfr Fritz Nussbaum, gunner,
Uffz Hans Kiauk, wireless operator,
Gfr Kurt Christ, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a British fighter.