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Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I in L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer: 4 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 24, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
L9529
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Stanton Harcourt - Stanton Harcourt
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stanton Harcourt at 1034LT on an operation to La Rochelle. Approaching the target area from the north, it was shot down by a German fighter and crashed in L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, some 20 km northwest from La Rochelle. Four crew members were killed and three others became PoW.
Crew:
F/Lt Austin Ellerker Lewin, pilot, †
Sgt William Henry James Gourley, †
F/Sgt Charles Henry Horner, observer, †
Sgt Percy James Vickery, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Allan Finlayson,
F/Lt Norman White McLeod,
Sgt Benjamin Phillips.
Crew:
F/Lt Austin Ellerker Lewin, pilot, †
Sgt William Henry James Gourley, †
F/Sgt Charles Henry Horner, observer, †
Sgt Percy James Vickery, wireless operator, †
Sgt William Allan Finlayson,
F/Lt Norman White McLeod,
Sgt Benjamin Phillips.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a German fighter.
Crash of a Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax I near Angles: 5 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 24, 1941
Operator:
Registration:
L9527
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Stanton Harcourt - Stanton Harcourt
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The airplane departed RAF Stanton Harcourt at 1040LT to attack the Scharnhorst anchored at La Pallice. It was shot down by enemy fire and crashed near Angles. Five crew members were killed and two others were rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
Sgt Greville Gascoyne Esnouf, pilot, †
F/Sgt Clarence Arthur Godwin, pilot, †
Sgt Conrad Howard Newstead, flight engineer, †
Sgt Reginald Thomas Rudlin, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Sidney Harry James Shirley, air gunner, †
Sgt Eric Oswald Thomas Balcomb,
F/Lt Arthur George Eperon.
Crew:
Sgt Greville Gascoyne Esnouf, pilot, †
F/Sgt Clarence Arthur Godwin, pilot, †
Sgt Conrad Howard Newstead, flight engineer, †
Sgt Reginald Thomas Rudlin, wireless operator, †
F/Sgt Sidney Harry James Shirley, air gunner, †
Sgt Eric Oswald Thomas Balcomb,
F/Lt Arthur George Eperon.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
Crash of a Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 45 off Les Sables-d'Olonne: 3 killed
Date & Time:
Jun 8, 1940
Operator:
Registration:
3006
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chalon - Chalon
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Chalon-Champforgeuil Airport at 2003LT on a bombing mission over enemy barracks in the area of Compiègne. While cruising at night, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire and several instruments became out of order. The crew got lost and continued to the west until he decided to bail out. One crew member survived, two other drowned and the pilot was killed when the airplane crashed into the sea off Les Sables-d’Olonne.
Crew:
Lt Jacques Jean Marie Colleter, chief, †
Sgt/C Raymond Louis Ajam, pilot, †
Adj Marcel Joseph Paul Olivères, radio operator, †
Sgt/C Auguste Adrien Renard, air gunner.
Crew:
Lt Jacques Jean Marie Colleter, chief, †
Sgt/C Raymond Louis Ajam, pilot, †
Adj Marcel Joseph Paul Olivères, radio operator, †
Sgt/C Auguste Adrien Renard, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
