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 15/9-24
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 JP202 crashed in the North Sea off Nymindegab 19/4 1944.


The aircraft belonged to RCAF (RAF) 419 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded VR-T.
T/O 20:27 Middleton. OP: Gardening Faxe Bay.


On this night RAF lost two aircrafts in the sea off Denmark. They were Halifax JP202 of 419 Sqn and Stirling LJ504 of 149 Sqn. which was lost without trace.
Flak Batt. Gammelby near Esbjerg claimed a aircraft which fell 10 kilometres west of the southern point of the island of Fanø at 00:33 hours and Flakbatt. 2./902(E) at Nymindegab claimed a aircraft which crashed in the sea at 01:10 hours.
Leutnant Heilig of IV/NJG 3 claimed that he shot down a Stirling in Planquadrat QR 45 (West of the island of Rømø) at 00:46 hours

Based on this it is believed that Halifax JP202 crashed in the North Sea off Nymindegab at 01:10 hours.

On 17/8 the body of Pilot P/O Joseph D. Quinn was found washed ashore on the beach near Henne and was laid to rest in Fovrfelt cemetery in Esbjerg on 21/8 1944.

On 19/8 at 19:00 hours the Danish police was informed by Mr. Nielsen, Kryle that the body of a English flyer had been washed ashore near the German “Stützpunkt Kryle” north west of Ringkøbing.
Two police constables were sent to investigate and addressed the soldier in charge at the “Schriebstube” at Kryle and Obergefreiter Müller informed the constables that the body had been placed in a coffin and would be buried on the very same evening due to the high summer temperatures.
The body carried a Mae West as well as a parachute and was dressed in trousers and a white sweater.
In a pocket was found a receipt from “Midland Bank”: R.51.615, 22/2-1944. Sgt M.J. Petrina, Roycanjab, London. Canadian Overseas Postal Depot, RCAF Section.
 
Flt. Engr. F/Sgt Michael J. Petrina was laid to rest in Nysogn cemetery near Kloster at 22:00 hours.

The rest of the crew which were Navigator WO2 Ernest J. Gares, Air Bomber F/O Desmond L. Lewis-Watts RAF, W/Op F/S Frederick J.N. Hickson, Air Gnr. Sgt Douglas F.C. Weeks and Air Gnr WO1 Roy O. Dwyer have no known graves and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

 

 

 

Nysogn cemetery

 

Sources: Report Ringkøbing Police, BE, CWGC.
 

 

Back to 1944

Top of page
Top of page
 

 

  Copyright  ©  Søren C. Flensted 2004 - 2024