Military aircraft crashes in the north west Midlands - 1942

Details of the crashes and the names of the aircrew involved appear on this page. Please contact us if you are related to somebody on the list, or know of a photograph of them. If original photographs or papers are still in the family, we can help to caption photographs and explain the codes and nicknames that were used at the time. We appreciate the opportunity to copy original material for the museum's archive.

The Midland Aircraft Recovery Group has found the sites of many of the crashes, but we are still looking for a significant number, so we'd like to hear from anyone who can pinpoint a crash that we've listed. We are always looking for photographs, log books and anecdotes relevant to the units based in the Midlands.

The details below are have been compiled from numerous sources of information in the public domain over many years. We've done our best, but errors are inevitable. Please contact us if you have more accurate information on any of the crashes or people listed, or can add the names of crew that we haven't traced. Thank you.

4 January 1942, DeHaviland Tiger Moth T7179 of 28 Elementary Flying Training School, Wolverhampton, crashed after hitting a tree at Featherstone. Casualties unknown.

13 January 1942, Miles Master T8610 of 5 Flying Training Schjool, Tern Hill, crashed whilst making a forced landing near Gnosall. Casualties unknown.

17 January 1942, Vickers Wellington X9706 of 27 Operational Training Unit crashed on approach at Kings Bromley. The crew: Flight Sergeant J.S.R. Woolnough RAAF, Sergeant F.E. Williams RAAF, Sergeant Evan F. Webb RAAF, Sergeant J. Rogerson RAAF, Sergeant Malcolm Welsh RAF, Sergeant Roy Beeton RAF and Sergeant Arthur Savige RAF were all killed.

7 February 1942, Handley Page Hampden AT231 of 14 Ferry Pilot’s Pool crashed at Weston Park from unknown causes. The pilot was killed.

26 February 1942, Vickers Wellington III, Z8785 of 27 Operational Training Unit crash landed after engine failure at Trent Valley Railway station, Lichfield. Sgt W.A. Godfrey RAAF died of his injuries, Sgt D. Jennings RAAF and Sgt R. Longmuir RAAF were injured. Sgt T. Willey and Sgt G.H. Mellor were unhurt. Sergeant Mellor seemed to have a charmed life; he was to survive a second crash and a shoot-down on operations from which he would evade capture.

30 March 1942 Avro Anson K6254 of 3 Air Observers Navigation School was destroyed in a forced landing at Halfpenny Green Aerodrome.

22 May 1942, Miles Magister of 16 Elementary Flying Training School span into the ground at Draycott. Information on casualties at present unknown.

22 May 1942 Vickers Wellington Ic of 27 Operational Training Unit was destroyed by fire in a refueling accident at Lichfield. No report of casualties.

23 May 1942, Airspeed Oxford P1862 of 11 Pilots Advanced Flying Unit crashed at Wheaton Aston Aerodrome. No information on casualties available.

5 June 1942, Miles Magister L8252 of 14 Elementary Flying Training School crashed on approach to Abbots Bromley. No information on casualties available.

13 September 1942 Vickers Wellington I, L7815 of 27 Operational Training Unit crashed after an engine failure on take off from Lichfield. The all Australian crew was killed. They were: Sgt W.J.P. Fletcher, Sgt J.A. Turnbull, Sgt Milne, Sgt F.W. Lewis, Sgt F. Thompson. Later four members of the guard detail were killed when the aircraft’s bomb load exploded: Corporal R. M. S. Zucker, Lance Corporal K. Ward, AC1 C. Aveyard, AC1 M. Marten.

1 October 1942, Airspeed Oxford EB720 of 11 Pilots Advanced Flying Unit was destroyed at Wheaton Aston Aerodrome when it was hit by Oxford BJ692 which was landing. No Information on casualties.

1 October 1942, Vickers Wellington III, BJ692 of 12 Operational Training Unit was destroyed when it hit Oxford EB720 during a forced landing at Wheaton Aston Aerodrome. Sgt R.A. Williams and his crew were unhurt.

6 October 1942, De Haviland Tiger Moth T6704 of 28 Elementary Flying Training Unit crashed at Penkridge after being abandoned in a spin. Fate of pilot unknown.

8 October 1942, DeHaviland Tiger moth N6878 of 28 Elementary Flying Training Unit crashed at Cannock after hitting a chimney. Fate of crew unknown.

19 October 1942, Avro Manchester R5780 of 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit crashed at Fradley after hitting a tree. Pilot Officer Horner, Flying Officer R.W. Wood RAAF, Pilot Officer Forrester RAAF, Pilot Officer Murphy RAAF, AC2 S. Dobell and AC2 D.W. Hodges were all killed.

23 October 1942, Spitfire Vb, ER713 which was on a test flight from the manufacturers, Vickers Armstrong at Castle Bromwich, crashed after suffering structural failure. The test pilot, Flight Lieutenant Sanders, was killed.

31 October 1942, Vickers Wellington Ic of 30 Operational Training Unit crashed at Amerton. Sgt R.H. Wooliams RCAF, Sgt D.C. Hawk RCAF, Sgt D.M. Belgrove, Warrant Officer W.L. Primrose Pilot Officer D.S. Hegan and Sgt A. P. Cunningham were all killed. Sgt Hawk was an American from Portland Indiana.

11 November 1942, Airspeed Oxford N4596 crashed in a forced landing at Wheaton Aston. Fate of crew unknown.

22 November 1942, Vickers Wellington III BK247 of 27 Operational Training Unit crashed after an engine failed during overshoot procedure. The crew were all injured: Sgt Britton, Sgt J.A.B. Cooper, Sgt Morris, Sgt Hickson and Sgt Tuxford. Sgt Cooper was later killed on operations with 103 Squadron.

28 November 1942, Vickers Wellington Ic, X9801 of 30 Operational Training Unit crashed after hitting trees on take off. Sgt C.R. Kroemer RAAF was injured.

3 December 1942, Vickers Wellington III, X3944 of 27 Operational Training Unit crashed on approach to Lichfield Aerodrome. The crew of five were killed: Sgt R.E. Mitchell RAAF, Sgt R.H. Sankey RAAF, sgt A. Brindle, Sgt K.H. Park, Sgt J.B. Muir RAAF.

8 December 1842, Airspeed Oxford BG649 of 11 Pilots Advanced Flying Unit crashed on take off from Wheaton Aston. Fate of crew unknown.

11 December 1942, Vickers Wellington X3961 Of 27 Operational Training Unit crashed shortly after take off from Lichfield Aerodrome. The following were killed:F/Sgt G.R. Cook, F/ Sgt F.T.J. Bryant, P/O G.W. Harrison, Sgt W.T. Chandler. Sgt H.P. Wishart RAAF died of his injuries on 22 December. Sgt I.D. Maxwell and F/Sgt C. Shade were injured. F/Sgt Shade was killed on operations in 1945.

24 December 1942, Vickers Wellington Ic HF894 of 304 Squadron crashed at Cannock after being abandoned low on fuel. Flying Officer M. Pronaszko and his crew were unhurt.