Pas-de-Calais | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The twin engine aircraft left RAF Feltwell at 1420LT to bomb the Saint-Omer Aerodrome, with 11 other similar aircraft. While approaching the French coast, the aircraft was shot down by the German Flak. With both engine on fire, it was impossible for the pilot to continue the mission so all four crew members bailed out. The aircraft crashed some 300 yards off shore and was lost. All four crew members were rescued.
Crew (464th Squadron):
P/O P. R. Roberts, pilot,
P/O P. C. Middleton, navigator,
F/Sgt J. Dowling, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt J. F. Webb, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

Crash of an Avro 679 Manchester IA off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 7 killed

Date & Time: Dec 8, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Avro 679 Manchester

Operator:

Registration:

L7494

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Woolfox Lodge - Woolfox Lodge

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The airplane departed RAF Woolfox Lodge at 1742LT on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer, with 19 other similar aircrafts. While approaching the French coast, the bomber exploded and crashed into the sea few miles offshore. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew (61st Squadron):
S/L John Lawrence Riley, pilot,
Sgt Cyril Leslie Wells, copilot,
F/Sgt John Wilson, radio navigator,
P/O Reginald Adcock, flight engineer,
Sgt James Crawford, air gunner,
Sgt James Benjamin Leight, air gunner,
Sgt John Victor Randall, air bomber.

Crash of a Vickers 424 Wellington IV near Béthune

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 424 Wellington IV

Operator:

Registration:

Z1271

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Hemswell - Hemswell

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The airplane departed RAF Hemswell at 1843LT on November 7 an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base, the crew encountered icing conditions and the airplane crash landed in an open field located in the region of Béthune. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Gustaw Chrzanowski,
Sgt Piotr Meiczsyław Nowakowski,
P/O Wladysław Radwanski,
F/O Mieczysław Aleksander Taras,
Sgt Henryk Kudelko,
Sgt Bolesław Stanisław Iwanowicz.

Probable cause:

Icing.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V in Pihen-lès-Guînes: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 24, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley

Operator:

Registration:

Z6874

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Dishforth - Dishforth

MSN:

2215

YOM:

1941

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The airplane departed RAF Dishforth at 1737LT on an operation to Frankfurt. For unknown reasons, it crashed near Pihen-lès-Guînes. A crew was killed, three became PoW and a fifth evaded.
Crew:
Sgt Clarence Edmund Wheeler, wireless operator, †
Sgt James Perrin Magwood,
Sgt Douglas George Pinney,
Sgt George Millane Porrett,
Sgt H. R. Wilson.

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

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7273

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Oulton - Oulton

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The airplane departed RAF Oulton at 1215LT on an anti-shipping operation (Circus 108A mission) in Arques. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Richard John Chamberlain, pilot,
Sgt Fredrick Lancelot Charlie Jewell, observer,
Sgt Donald Beale, wireless operator.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Bristol 142 Blenheim IV in Le Touquet: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

V6086

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Bodney - Bodney

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The airplane departed RAF Bodney at 1304LT to attack a power station and chemical complex at Mazingarbe. Passing over Le Touquet, it was shot down by the German Flak and crashed, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
Sgt Douglas Arthur Bartrip,
P/O Courteney John Harper,
P/O John Bridges Patterson.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the German Flak.

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

Date & Time: Sep 4, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 142 Blenheim

Operator:

Registration:

Z7296

Flight Phase:

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Schedule:

Norwich - Norwich

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The airplane departed RAF Horsham St Faith to bomb a chemical factory in Mazingarbe. Approaching the target area, it was shot down by a Me.109 and crashed. Two crew members were killed and the pilot became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Denis Gordon Adams, pilot,
Sgt Frank Woodcock, observer, †
Sgt Michael Koransky, wireless operator. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by a German fighter.

Crash of a Vickers 406 Wellington II off Boulogne-sur-Mer: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 406 Wellington II

Operator:

Registration:

W5577

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Binbrook - Binbrook

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The airplane departed RAF Binbrook at 2115LT on August 30 on an operation to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Approaching the target area, it crashed into the sea, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
P/O Rustom Nariman Dastur, pilot,
Sgt William Brown Clark, observer,
Sgt Ronald Benjamin Russell, air gunner,
P/O Chander Parkash Khosla,
Sgt Paul James Lewis,
Sgt James Fitzgerald Wolff.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Ferques: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 15, 1941

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

X9753

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Marham - Marham

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The airplane departed RAF Marham at 2118LT on August 14 on an operation to Hanover. Passing over France, it was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in Ferques. Five crew members were killed and a sixth became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Alexander Ian Pryce Anderson, wireless operator, †
Sgt James Charles Cottingham, pilot, †
Sgt Gordon Alexander Munro, air bomber, †
Sgt Peter Prosser, wireless operator, †
P/O Winston Claude Wilson, pilot, †
Sgt R. Barnard.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Saint-Omer

Date & Time: Aug 7, 1941 at 0555 LT

Type of aircraft:

Vickers 416 Wellington IC

Operator:

Registration:

Z8704

Flight Phase:

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Site:

Schedule:

Feltwell - Feltwell

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The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 2225LT on August 6 on an operation to Mannheim. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Saint-Omer in the early morning of the following day. All six crew members became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Basil Cleaver,
Sgt Norman Charles Davies,
Sgt Eric Lloyd,
Sgt Raymond Parish,
Sgt Michael Picton Whitworth,
Sgt D. McCraig.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

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