RAF Halifax crash, 6 Nov 44

[Eagle0025]

Eureka! Flupke is correct. I searched through the 474th FG histories again and did find the following entry for 14 Mar 45 in the 429th FS history:

"Tonight at 2030 hours, a British Halifax came in to make a desperation landing. It tore through a parked Mosquito and sideswiped an A-26 (Invader) before grinding to a stop. Fire broke out and explosions followed. Our Line Area had to be evacuated (even the A.O. and C.Q. left). The crew aboard the Halifax managed to escape injury but they were unable to recover the body of a dead member left aboard the exploding plane (obviously Portesseau)."

Thanks for the info Flupke.

Cheers, Gary

P.S. Any details on the base it was from or the mission it was on?

[Flupke]

The mission was against Homberg and the base was Elvington T/O at 17H14
Best regards
Phil

[Vraa84]

Hi

It fits in whit the rest of the pieces very neatly. The USAAF uniforms, and the death crewmember.

Cheers
Nick

[RossGmann]

Re you inquiry of 26th November 2005

Halifax NP761 Information

Type Halifax

Serial Number NP761

Squadron 408

X1D EQ-A

Operation Gelsenkirchen
Date 1 6th November 1944
Date 2 6th November 1944

Airborne 1213 6Nov44 from Linton-on-Ouse. Cause of loss and crash- site not established. All had reached the halfway stage of their tour of operations. F/O J.C.Kellond RCAF PoW Sgt W.A.Woods RCAF PoW F/O W.A.Gillmeister RCAF PoW F/O K.I.Durk RCAF PoW F/S D.M.Davies RCAF PoW F/S T.G.McLeod RCAF PoW F/S R.C.Robinson RCAF PoW F/S D.M.Davies was interned in Camp L7, PoW No.1236 with F/S T.G.McLeod, PoW No.1203, F/S R.C.Robinson, PoW No.1210 and Sgt W.A.Woods, PoW No.1214 F/O K.I.Durk in Camp L3, PoW No.8808, with F/O W.A.Gillmeister, PoW No.8810 and F/O J.C.Kellond, PoW

Kind regards

Ross

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,
The Night raid report no.762 (Bomber Command Report on night operations 6/7th.November , 1944 – AIR 14/3412) mentions “One Lancaster from Koblenz crash-landed in Florennes after its engines had failed; and another undershot on return from Gravenhorst, and was destroyed.”. The same report also mentions Lancaster I 1 a/c Cat.E in Florennes – engine failure.

The only possible aircraft is HK621 which is mentioned in the ORB of 622 Squadron (AIR 27/2138) as : Notice has been received that this aircraft force landed in France. Crew are safe and have returned to United Kingdom.

However no crashlocation of this aircraft was found in France (see https://francecrashes39-45.net/page_...av.php?id=1511).

The files available on the NAA (Australia) website for the 3 Australian crewmembers don’t mention any information regarding this crash.

An USAAF report (Daily Diary for 6 Nov.1944, 429 FS, 474 FG, AFHRA Reel B0625 p.124) supplied the following info :
Maj.Hedlund and Lt.Johnston took off at 1803 and by the time they had climbed to 8,000 feet, it was pitch black and flying formation was hard (edited by myself) . It is still a question as to who got lost from who but Lt.Johnston’s load got heavy somewhere between Euskirchen and Gelsdorf and he dropped his bombs on lights somewhere in that area. No explosion nor fire was seen. Major Hedlund flying alone, set course for home.
In the meanwhile over this field, “Limey” crew members of a Lancaster were parachuting down all over the place. On an RAF night mission against Cologne, flak had knocked out two of their engines. The crew had thrown out their guns, ammunition, and even pocket change overboard to lighten the load but their old boat just couldn’t make the grade. So they bailed out and the pilot took his chances in going down with his ship. He circled our field once and shot all the flares he had left at the control tower operator. Then he threw his very pistol at him and came in and belly landed. In doing so, the huge plane tore up 50 feet of runway lights and before grinding to a stop, doing so, half on and half off the runway. The pilot fortunately unhurt. There was no time to clear the wrecked Lancaster from the field before Maj. Hedlund and Johnston returned and with the lightning system knocked out, they were instruction to land at A-92,St.Trond.

Best regards


Luc

[Eagle0025]

Merci, Luc! I agree with you that the unlucky Lanc was likely HK621 of 622 Squadron. I will research further to see what else I can find and confirm. At least I have a couple clues to go on.
Cheers, Gary Koch

[ClinA-78]

All details about this Halifax crashed at A-78 are covered in the forecoming book written by local researcher Roland CHARLIER (also author of "Raum 7") dealing about "Florennes-Jusaine A-78 airfield '44-'45" history.
Stay tuned, it is coming !

ClinA-78