Airwar over Denmark

Airwar over Denmark

 By Søren C. Flensted

Home

Allied:
1939-1940 Updated 19/10-24
1941 Updated 28/4-22
1942 Updated 14/7-24
1943 Updated 15/4-24
1944 Updated 20/11-24
1945 Updated 4/12-22


German:
1939
1940 New 30/11-23
1941 New 23/7-21
1942 Updated 24/7-24
1943 Updated 28/1-23
1944 Updated 23/7-23
1945 Updated 16/7-23

Books  New Book by Steve Smith
Sources
Contact
Links

Search this site by entering search words:



powered by FreeFind

Halifax II JB930 crash landed near Esbjerg 20/4-1943.


The aircraft belonged to RAF 10 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded ZA-H.
T/o 21:24 Melbourne. Op: Stettin.


When JB930 approached the Danish coast it dropped down to 50 feet above the sea to avoid flak. It was coned by the searchlight "Ende" and turned towards south where it was coned by searchlights "Emil", "Lund", "Halen", "Fanø-Nord", "Karl", "Fanø" and "Maade". The managed to keep light on the Halifax for 3 minutes until is chrashed.
When they crossed the coast near Esbjerg they were however hit by flak from I.+IV./2./lei.Flakabt.742 and IV./3./lei.Flakabt.742 und Marine in the port inner motor and it started burning.
Pilot Sgt F. Glover turned on the fire extinguisher, but to no effect so the fire spread to the outboard engine and to the fuselage.

At 23:33 hours JB930 crash landed at Gammelby/Velbæk not far from the searchlight Maade.
 

 


 (RM 45 III 315 via Carsten Petersen)

 

 

 


 (RM 45 III 315 via Carsten Petersen)

 

 

 

The crew set the aircraft on fire before being made POW`s.

 


  (Museumscenter Hanstholm)

Rear gunner turret

 


  (Museumscenter Hanstholm)

Inside fuselage

 


 (Marco Hansen)



Air Gunner F/lt T.H. Baker left the aircraft by a hole in the fuselage and was running through burning petrol on the ground when he saw rear Gunner Sgt R.E. Everett trying to get out of his turret that had locked in centre position. Baker ran to the turret and chopped the doors open with an axe handed to him through the Perspex. Now Navigator Sgt D.E. Taylor came too and pulled Everett out of the turret. Everetts arms were broken and he could not do much himself.

The crew consisted of Air Gnr. F/L T.H. Baker, Pilot Sgt F. Glover, Flt. Engr. Sgt R.S. Burr, Navigator Sgt D.E. Taylor, Air Bomber Sgt R. Bell, W/Op Sgt E.J. Phillips and Air Gnr. Sgt R.E. Everett.
Six of whom were slightly wounded and were by the Wehrmacht taken to Revier Esbjerg and Marine Lazarett Esbjerg.

It is believed that they were sent to Dulag Luft near Frankfurt for interrogation and then passed on to different pow camps. Baker was sent to Stalag Luft III Sagan while Burr, Everett and Glover were sent to Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug to end up in Stalag 357Thorn/Fallingbostel. Taylor was sent to Stalag Luft I Barth and on to Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug to end up in Stalag 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel while Philips whereabouts is not known.
Bell appears to have been worse wounded than the rest and spend time in five different POW hospitals. It is known that he spent time in the following POW camps: Stalag IX Mühlhausen, Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug, Stalag Luft IV Gross Tychow and Stalag Luft I Barth. He returned to England on 8/5-1945.
 



Sources: LBUK, RL 19/455, OLCB, Quistionaire For Returned Aircrew (Avery) via Richard Koval.

 

 

The night of 20/21 April 1943

Halifax II JB930 crash landed near Esbjerg 20/4-1943

Lancaster III ED620 crashed near Stadil 20/4-1943

Lancaster III ED614 crashed Vester Vedsted 21/4-1943

Unknown Lancaster crashed Strandgården farm, Halskov 21/4-1943

Stirling III BK714 crashed Tarp, Esbjerg 21/4-1943

Stirling III BF508 crashed in Fænøsund on 21/4 1943

Halifax II DT747 crashed Hjertingvej road in Sædding, Esbjerg 21/4-1943

Lancaster III ED557 believed crashed Store Bælt 21/4-1943

Stirling I R9261 crashed by Kongsmark on 21/41943

Halifax II HR722 crashed Store Bælt off Drøsselbjerg Klint 21/4-1943

Halifax II HR712 crashed Store Bælt near Slipshavn 21/4-1943

Stirling III BF463 crashed in Store Bælt off Halskov on 21/4 1943

Lancaster III ED818 crashed Vresen Ø 21/4-1943

Stirling III BF506 shot down by Bøgballe on 21/4 1943

Lancaster I W4330 crashed Vestbirk 21/4-1943

Halifax II HR714 crashed in the tidal area off the island of Mandø 21/4 1943.

Stirling III BK698 shot down over The North Sea on 21/4 1943

Stirling III BF476 crash-landed at Kragelund Fælled North of Vejle on 21/4 1943

Lancaster ED709 crashed Ringkøbing Fjord 21/4 1943

 

 

Back to 1943

Top of page
Top of page
 

 

  Copyright  ©  Søren C. Flensted 2004 - 2024