Airwar over Denmark

Airwar over Denmark

 By Søren C. Flensted

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Mustang III KM137 crashed into the North Sea north west of Lodbjerg lighthouse 5/4-1945.

The aircraft belonged to RAF 19 Sqn and was coded ?
T/O 14:25 Peterhead.  OP:  Escort to Mosquitos on shipping attack.

 F/Lt James Butler operating Mustang KM137 took off from Peterhead along with 11 Mustangs from 19 Sqn. on an escort mission to 39 Mosquitos of Bannf Strike Wing.

The Danish west coast was crossed south of Nørre Vorupør at 16:26 and the flight continued to Mariager fjord where the main land was left at 16:49 hrs.
The flight continued towards the island of Anholt. At this point a number of vessels was sighted at 56.34N 1150E and attacked at 17:12 hrs.

Afterwards the flight headed west and crossed the Danish west coast at 17:52 hrs. One moment later Mustang KM137 was seen to burst into flames and dive into the sea 180 meters off the coast approx. 1.5 kilometers northwest of Lodbjerg lighthouse.
Apparently the Mustang had been hit by small arm fire from the coast.

F/LT James Butler has no known grave and he is commemorated on panel 265 on the Runnymede Memorial in England.

In the 1990`s the wreckage was located by divers, but no remains of Butler was found.

 

 

Sources: AIR 27/254 & 25/450 via Carsten Petersen.

 

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