L7571 Lancaster 61 Squadron (borrowed by 207 Squadron) crashed on 17/09/1942 – who shot this aircraft down ?

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,

During the night 16/17 September 1942 Lancaster L7571 of 61 Squadron (borrowed by 207 Squadron) went missing during a raid to Essen. The entire crew of 7 bailed out and was taken prisoner.
The Tagesmeldung für den 19 Sept.1942 and the next days compiled by Der Militärbefehlshaber in Belgien und in Nordfrankreich Kommandostab Abt. Ia mentions that an enemy aircraft crashed 4 km nnw of Diksmuide with 7 crewmembers taken prisoner (Bundesarchiv ref RW36/19 p.343+345-347). The German claim list (Bundesarchiv ref RL5/1449 p.375 line 5) mentions that Flakunit 1./Res266 shot down a Lancaster at 01h14 at Tervate. Tervate is situated near the IJzer river, north of Diksmuide.
The General Questionnaire for British/American ex-prisoner of war completed by W/O. Ivan Betts mentions that he was taken prisoner at ‘Dixmude Ostend’ on 17/09/1942 (TNA ref WO344/27/2) and the similar form completed by W/O. George Moutney mentions that he was taken prisoner on 21/09/1942 near ‘Diksmunde Belgium’.

Was this Flak unit based in the Diksmuide area (Belgium) ?
Which information can be found in the Abschussmeldung they completed ?
Is any additional information available in the RAF Casualty Pack issued for this crew (TNA AIR 81/18244) ?
Was Lancaster L7571 the aircraft which crashed at Tervate ?

Many thanks and best regards

Luc

[harryurz]

More info here......

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=21444

[Luc Vervoort]

Thanks for the reply and the link.

Ths distance between Lippramsdorf (Germany) - Diksmuide (Belgium) is approx 350 km.

The Nachtjagd Combat Archive, the early years part 3, by Theo Boiten, mentions on page 94 that L7571 was shot down on 23.11 4 km sw Lippramsdorf (4B) by Oblt. Wolfrat Bauer and on the next page that Ofw. Reinhard Kollak claimed DV723 Wellington of 26 OTU at Beerst-Ijzer, in Ijzer River (2289) and that DV723 had been coned by Flakschw.Rgt.(mot.)7 and that the claim of Ofw Kollak was not listed in OKL/RLM7./NJG4 in the confirmed Abschussübersicht.

DV723 is mentioned in the SGLO Lossregister (https://www.verliesregister.studiegr...ts?sglo=T1849A) as crashed in the North Sea near Egmond aan zee, with the entire crew of 6 still missing.

Beerst is also north of Diksmuide (1 - 2 km from the IJzer river).

Best regards

Luc

[Leendert]

Dag Luc,

For Res. Flak Abt. 266 I think this is the one: https://www.ww2.dk/ground/flak/abt/gem266.html. Units in the Calais region in 1942.

It appears indeed that Lancaster L7571 was the one down at Beerst instead of the Wellington given the testimonies of the captured crew.
What's lacking however are local histories so far.....

Groet,
Leendert

[Luc Vervoort]

Goedemorgen Leendert,

Thanks for your reply. Checked some maps. The distance between Tervate and Beerst is approx. 4 km. The right bank of the Ijzer River is near the Beerblotestraat (of Beerst), the left bank is near the Ijzerdijk. It is possible that the aircraft crashed in the IJzer River near Beerst and the statement that the distance between Beerst and the Ijzer River is several km’s is not correct.

As you mentioned, perhaps a local historical society has the answer in its archives.

Best regards

Luc

[Luc Vervoort]

Hi,

Some new details found ...

Found another German document regarding this aircraft (Bundesarchiv RW36/31 p.253): the Tagesmeldung of Oberfeldkommandantur 570 Kommandostab, Abt. Ia. It mentions that on 17/09/1942 at approx.. 02h00 an English bomber of unknown type crashed near Stuyvekenskerke (approx.. 4 km nnw of Diksmuide) in the Ijzer river and went missing. 2 Parachutes were found. One crewmembers was captured near Beerst and another one at Esen (near Diksmuide). The other members of the probably crew of 7 are being searched for. Possibly some were killed in the aircraft.

Tervate is a hamlet of Stuivekenskerke.

Best regards

Luc