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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
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