Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Dear all,

Who can help me with the crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942? Whole crew buried Reichswald, the CWGC site gives no concentration card for this crew.

Thanks for any info, Theo

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Have you seen this ?

http://www.214squadron.org.uk/Personnel_H.htm

Scroll down to Ronnie Hayes.

Alex

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Thanks for sharing the link Alex -I'd seen it before, regrettably it does not state the crash location/first burial location of the crew of Z8979.

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Hi Theo,

I thought about providing the following information in the "Krone" in return for a beer - hope you have a good excuse for not beeing there yesterday. At least the beer was there... :-)

There was a kind of private war diary from a cologne jounalist called "Starke Verbände im Anflug auf Köln", which has the following fort the night from 1st to 2nd April:

"Ein Bomber beim Tiefangriff auf das Kohlehydrierwerk abgeschossen, ein zweiter bei Neuss, wo er auf das Hafengelände abstürzte und dort leichte Schäden verursachte. Beide Besatzungen tot".

("One bomber was shot down during a low level attack on the hydrogen plant, a second one near Neuss, crashing in the harbour area and causing slight damages. Both crews dead.")

The one near the hydrogen plant (Wesseling) shoud be Z8805, the one in the habour of Neuss Z8979.

Cheers,

Alexander

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Hello,

Chorley has in vol 2 of BCL -

214 Sqn losses.

R1789
Crashed at Maxdorf, 10 km WNW of Ludwigshafen.
All buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.
X9979
Crashed at Bad Siedlung, near Russelsheim.
First buried at Russelsheim later moved to Durnbach War Cemetery.
Z1052
Crashed between Wilskerke and Leffinge ( West Vlaanderen ), 3 km ESE of Middelkerke, Belgium.
Buried in the Middelkerke Communal Cemetery.
Z1156
Crashed in the river Rhine at Ludwigshafen.
First buried at Mannheim, moved later to Durnbach War Cemetery.
Z8805
No details.
All buried at Rheinberg War Cemetery.
Z8842
Presumed lost over the sea. 1 crew buried in Holand, 1 in Germany, 4 no known graves.
Z8979
No details.
All buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Alex

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Hello and good morning Alexander and Alex,

Thanks for these interesting additional details! And yes, I missed you guys at zur Krone last weekend -I had a good excuse; work .. We'll have a beer in 2019 at Hetschbach, that's a promise Alexander!

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Hello,
Following on with 57 Squadron a/c .

X3410
No details.
All buried at Rheinberg.

X3425
On homeward flight ?
Originally buried at St. Truiden ( Limburg ) later to Heverlee War Cemetery.

X3607
Crashed into a wood at the east of Lorsch, 13 km ENE of Worms.
All buried at Durnbach War Cemetery.

X3748
Crashed near Sprendlingen, 9 km ENE of Bad Kreuznach where the crew were originally buried.
Now at rest in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Z1565
Crashed at Hanau.
Crew originally laid to rest there. Later moved to Durnbach War Cemetery.

Three other Wellington's were to be lost that night.
12 Sqn's W5395 homeward bound over France.
214 Sqn's R1789 crashed at Maxdorf near Russelsheim.
405 Sqn's Z8527 crashed near Versailles, France. Crew buried at Gonards Communal Cemetery.

The other loss was Hampden AD959 of 144 Sqn, shot down near Gross Roscharden, 2km NW of Lastrup. Crew buried at Becklingen War Cemetery.

Details from Chorley's BCL vol 2.

Alex

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

I have a list of unknown aircrew graves in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, it lists the original burial locations, and dates of death, if that would be of any help.
Joe

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Hello Joe,

Thanks for your offer -that would really be helpful. Please PM me and we'll exchange some contact info.

Cheers, Theo

Re: Crash location of 214 Squadron Wellington Z8979, 1-2 April 1942?
 

Hi Theo,
PM sent.
Joe