Hello,
The photo depicts No.99 Sqn Wellington IC R3170, which was lost on 5/6-7-1940 raiding Kiel. The aircraft was hit by flak and crashed near Haarlem (Noord Holland).
P/O (Pilot) R A G Willis - PoW
P/O (2nd Pilot) J W P Perkins - PoW
Sgt (Nav.) K A R MacArthur - PoW
Sgt (W.Op./Air Gnr.) G F Scanlon - PoW
Sgt (Rear Gnr.) G F Sexton - +
You will find another photo of the wreck in:
Wimpy:A Detailed Illustrated History of the Vickers Wellington in Service 1938-1953.
Bond,Steve.
London:Grub Street,2014.
p.45
and...
The story which unfolds is attributed to Mr Aad Neeven, a Dutch War Historian and a member of the Historical Society of Haarlem, Holland.
Willis and his crew decided that on their return journey to the United Kingdom they would drop their bombs on Schiphol (Amsterdam) airport. All but two of the bombs were dropped, but missed the airport. On crossing the Dutch coast Willis decided to make one more attack and chose the main hangar as a target. A descent was made to 1,000 feet and bombs were released. Whilst this was happening the aircraft was hit and damaged by anti-aircraft fire, the co-pilot, Pilot Officer J. W. P. Parkins[sic], being injured and the port engine set on fire. The aircaft rapidly lost altitude and drifted towards the town of Haarlem. On the eastern side of the town a wheels-up landing was made at 0340 am resulting in the aircraft slicing its way through fields, across a ditch and over a road. It finally came to rest on crashing into a row of seven houses which, along with the Wellington, instantly erupted in flames. Some of the houses were unoccupied and the occupants of the remainder, having been alerted by the anti-aircraft fire, managed to escape before the impact. The Wellington and all the houses were destroyed.
See:
Each Tenacious:A History of No.99 (Madras Presidency) Squadron (1917 - 1976)
Edgerley, A G (Sqn.Ldr.).
Worcester:Square One Publications,1993
pp.74-5.
see also: BCL1(2nd.ed.)/162-3.
and...
http://verliesregister.studiegroeplu...php?SGLO=T0743
Col.