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Halifax II LW270 crashed near Hjelm on the island of
Lolland 23/4 1944.
The aircraft belonged to RAF 77 Sqn Bomber Command and was coded KN-P.
T/o 21:05 Elvington. OP: Gardening the Baltic Sea off the port of Rostock.
When close to the island of Lolland LW270 was attacked by a Bf 110 night fighter
belived to be of 8./NJG 3 and piloted by Oberleutnant Fritz Brinkmann.
The first attack was not succesfull but during the second attack the left wing
of the Halifax started burning. At the same time bullets passed thrugh the
fuselage and it was believed by the survivors that Mid upper gunner Sgt William
H. Loverock was wounded by those.
The evasive action had turned the aircraft out to sea and Pilot F/S Paul D.Sykes
turned the aircraft towards land again and ordered the crew to bail out when
over land.
The first to leave was Navigator F/O James H. Murray who drifted out to sea and
landed in the water one or two kilometres off Bandholm.
He inflated his Mae West and swam to the shore. He entered a farm house in Blans
west of Bandholm and lay down to sleep on the floor in front of the fire place.
When the lady of the house found him in the morning he was send off to bed. The
next day he was passed on to Maribo where he met with his comrades.
(Via Helme)
Power, mrs. Hansen and Murray in Maribo
Next to leave was Bomb Aimer Sgt Frank Haynes who landed in a field belonging to
“Kristinebjerg” farm three kilometres northwest of Nykøbing Falster on the
island of Falster. He somehow managed to make it to Sweden within a few days.
W/Op F/Sgt Paddy W.A. Powers landed on a beach and quickly made contact to a Dane
who told him to hide in a haystack. After darkness the Dane returned bringing
beer and food. The next night Powers was taken to the house of Doctor Hansen
where he met with Murray. Later in the evening Harrison arrived.
Rear Gunner John J. Harrison landed in a field belived to be in Reersnæs on the
island of Lolland and hid his chute. He then walked by night and hid during the
day. When trying to steal a boat in Bandholm harbour he suddently faced Skipper
Christensen who from then on helped him. After a few days Doctor Ib Hansen of
Maribo showed up to check Murrays story. It was satisfactuary and he was taken
to Maribo where he met with Murray and Power.
The next morning the three flyers were taken to the railway station by two
resistance agents. They reached København where they were hidden until they
could be sailed to Sweden where they arrived on 29/4 1944.
Flt. Engr. Sgt Glyn Jones did not have any luck as his parachute did not deploy
and he fell to his dead. At noon on 24/4 his body was found in a gravel pit near
Sørup on the island of Lolland. He was laid to rest in Svinø cemetery on 30/4
1944.
Pilot F/S Paul D. Sykes landed in the waters of Guldborgsund and freed himself of
his parachute. Apparently he then froze to death before he could reach land. His
dead body was found kept afloat by his Mae West in Guldborgsund at Hervigen at
19:00 hours on 24/4 and taken to the morgue at the hospital in Nykøbing
Falster. He was laid to rest in Svinø cemetery on 30/4 1944.
His parachute was
found in Guldborgsund near the bridge between Nykøbing Falster and Lolland on
25/4.
The body of Sgt Loverock was found at Hunseby Strandvej road near Bandholm on
the island of Lolland on 23/5 and was laid to rest in Svinø cemetery on 25/5
1944.
The aircraft crashed in a field belonging to Farmer Markusen, Hjelm damaging the
farm severely.
Sources: LBUK, DFEV, BS, AS 19-280, “Night Flight” by G.J ones, Horsens
Folkeblad, Power family.
23/24 April 1944
Stirling III LJ526 crashed Øster Skerninge
23/4-1944
Halifax V LL235 crashed in the sea off Traner Odde
23/4-1944
Stirling III EF137 crashed near Vemmenæs east of the
island of Tåsinge 23/4-1944
Halifax II HX151 crashed in the sea east of Omø
island 23/4 1944
Halifax II LW270 crashed near Hjelm on the island of
Lolland 23/4 1944
Back to 1944
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