Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Honington: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1942 at 0735 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3388
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 0340LT on an operation to Brest. Shortly after reaching the target area, the port engine failed and most of the return flight was made on one engine. The airplane crashed at 0735LT after colliding with trees while trying to land at base. A crew was killed and two others were injured.
Crew:
P/O M. R. Hodges,
Sgt R. Short,
Sgt L. A. Dwen,
Sgt A. W. Mount,
2nd Lt J. M. Pullan,
Sgt Charles William Mills, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC at RAF Newmarket: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
L7863
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Newmarket - Newmarket
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local night training flight at RAF Newmarket. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, one of the engine caught fire. The captain attempted to return for an emergency landing when, on short final, the airplane stalled, collided with an embankment and eventually crashed onto a building, bursting into flames. Eight crew members were killed and two others were seriously injured.
Crew (3rd ATG):
F/Sgt Frederick Thomas Miniken, pilot, †
Sgt Reginald Alfred Butcher, wireless operator, †
Sgt M. T. Coon, wireless operator,
Sgt Gerald Geoffrey Cornes, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt R. H. W. Lawrence, wireless operator,
AC1 Thomas Menzies, flight engineer, †
Sgt John Philpin Williams, wireless operator and air gunner, †
Sgt Anthony John Browne, air gunner, †
Sgt Albert David Matthews, air gunner, †
Sgt Herbert Wolstenholme, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Stall on final approach following an engine fire.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.38 Whitley V at RAF Stradishall: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 28, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
Z9385
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
MSN:
2392
YOM:
1941
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While returning to RAF Stradishall following special duties, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. Three crew members were killed and one of the pilot was seriously injured. He died from injuries sustained on 12 January 1942.
Crew:
F/Sgt John Russell Petts, pilot,
F/Sgt Alvin Wilbert Reimer, pilot,
Sgt George Russell Stewart Gordon, observer,
Sgt Herbert Andrew Pickering, wireless operator.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Elveden: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1941 at 2345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8834
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell on an operation to Brest. While returning to base in the late evening, the airplane crashed for unknown reasons in Elveden while the crew awaited their landing instructions. The pilot was killed and five other crew members were injured.
Crew:
Sgt Loch Lomond Bentley, pilot, †
Sgt T. W. Burke,
Sgt H. Ives,
Sgt K. C. Wilkes,
Sgt W. H. Olrod,
Sgt S. V. Hardman.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III in Brandon

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3289
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While on a training sortie, the bomber caught fire in flight and the starboard engine eventually fell away from its mountings. Still burning, the airplane crash landed between May Day Farm and High Lodge near Brandon. Four crew members were injured.
Crew:
S/L W. I. C. Inness,
Sgt B. Patrick,
P/O R. Peel,
Sgt G. D. Poff,
Sgt D. S. D. Welch.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire and loss of the starboard engine.

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

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
Z9223
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Stradishall - Stradishall
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stradishall on a special duties operation. It stalled and crashed while trying to land at base. All three crew members were killed.
Crew:
F/Lt Albert John Oettle, pilot,
LAC Walter John Lee, observer,
Sgt Hugh Francis Rochford, bomb aimer.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Berner's Heath: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 1941 at 0220 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
R1722
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 1820LT on October 26 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it ran out of fuel and crash landed in the Berner's Heath range located east of RAF Mildenhall. The pilot was killed and another crew was injured.
Crew:
P/O J. A. Watson, pilot, †
Sgt J. E. Cox,
Sgt R. S. Andrews,
Sgt Wilson,
P/O R. C. Scarlet,
Sgt R. D. Meek.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC in Erwarton

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1941 at 0005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8792
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Feltwell - Feltwell
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Feltwell at 1815LT on October 22 on an operation to Mannheim. While returning to base, just past midnight, it crash landed in Erwarton, west of Felixstowe. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O R. F. L. Tong,
Sgt S. Pizzie,
Sgt R. Durham,
Sgt M. Harris,
Sgt Frost,
Sgt A. J. Gillespie.

Crash of a Vickers 416 Wellington IC off Lowestoft

Date & Time: Oct 21, 1941
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
Z8891
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Waterbeach - Waterbeach
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Waterbeach at 1825LT on October 20 on an operation to Bremen. While returning to base the following night, it was ditched in the North sea, coming down off Lowestoft. All six crew members were rescued.
Crew:
Sgt F. B. Morgan,
Sgt D. A. Macauley,
P/O R. E. Wagstaff,
Sgt H. F. Price,
Sgt J. H. Cline,
Sgt J. K. Bartlett.

Crash of a Vickers 417 Wellington III at RAF Honington

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1941 at 0224 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
X3347
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Honington - Honington
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Honington at 1945LT on September 30 on an operation to Hamburg. While returning to base the following night, it crashed on approach to the airbase. All six crew members were injured.
Crew:
P/O H. P. Harrison-Yates,
Sgt J. J. W. Hurley,
Sgt S. F. Hall,
Sgt A. S. Barron,
Sgt L. M. Ramsey,
Sgt A. Taylor.