Halifax LL343 August 31, 1944

[Osric122]

Thanks Henk. I appreciate the inforamtion.
Are you able to share more information about the source?


Regards
Jeff

[Henk Welting]

Hello Jeff,
Not sure but do believe the info came from a crash sheet from Mr Hans de Haan, a wellknown Dutch Air War historian, who passed away 5 years ago.
Regards,
Henk.

[Osric122]

Thank you Henk. I really appreciate the follow up. The internet really is a huge help in locating materials. You have helped me find a string of reference books that have detailed records on both sides about air operations. So I am hopeful of finding a few more details.

Best Regards
Jeff

[Osric122]

Hi Henk,

new information has come through Wings to Victory. Three bodies washed up on shore on Sept 5 and 6 1944, here is the note from the detailed report crash 414 on.

i

Op 5 september 1944 spoelden nabij Westenschouwen en nabij Schelphoek de lichamen aan van twee
onbekend gebleven – naar men aannam – Canadese vliegers. De daaropvolgende dag trof men nabij
Zierikzee eveneens het stoffelijk overschot van een onbekend gebleven vlieger aan waarna ze op 8
september op de tijdelijke militaire begraafplaats te Haamstede ter aarde werden besteld.
Het is ook nu weer niet uit te sluiten dat wellicht één of meerdere van hen tot de bemanningen van

deze bommenwerpers behoorde.

Apparrently the bodies were moved to Flushing(Vlissingen) or at Bergen op Zoom cemetery.

Are you aware of any record sets or eyewitness accounts related to graves of unknown airmen found washed up on shore?

Regards
Jeff

[Henk Welting]

Jeff,
The only info I've is a compiled list from records of the Dutch International Red Cross (from reports set-up by the communities immediately after the hostilities) of war graves in their communities. Reported by the communitiy of (Burgh) Haamstede was that:
- an unknown RCAF airman washed up near Westerschouwen was buried at Haamstede 5-9-1944;
- an unknown RAF airman washed up near Zierikzee was buried at Haamstede 6-9-1944.
Haamstede was a temporary military cemetery plot taken care of by the German Luftwaffe located on airfield Haamstede. All burials post war moved to Bergen op Zoom.
Regards,
Henk.

[Osric122]

Thanks Henke. I appreciate your help as always.

Regards

[dave jones]

Francis Sayles DFM, Bomb aimer on Osric122 was my Uncle. We have been reseaching for a few year now and to here there could be a grave....well that's a bit of a shocker.

[Osric122]

It certainly was a jolt. Have you seen the report from the dutch site?

[eddieitman]

David Jones, Welcome i myself am the Grandson of William Bradley, and i have been in contact with Jeff since he found me from a very bizarre request i put on our car forums for some translations that where in Belgian relating to some information i had found on my Grandfathers crash.
There is a thread on another forum with bits of information regarding the rather recent information discovered on Wings of Victory website about the bodys that washed up after the crash.
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-cemeteries-war-memorial-research/25015-help-tombs-unknown-airmen-netherlands-may-my-grandfather.html

Also on the Wings of Victory site there is the pictures and copys of the flightbooks that my Grandfather had, I sent them to the site
LL343 Database
Please feel free to contact me.
May i ask what Francis Sayles got the DFM for?

[eddieitman]

Well i have managed to find that there is a book with all the awards for the DFM, I have spoken to the British Library, and will borrow a copy of it and see if i can find the info on Sayles DFM