Alsiske historier # 6 Traditional Geocache

Indeholder ingen skriveredskaber / Remember pencil !!

Omkring midnat – natten mellem den 28. og 29. januar 1944 – lettede ca. 700 bombefly fra deres baser i England . – Målet var Berlin. Fra flystation Wyton deltog Pathfinder eskadrille 83 fra Royal Air Force og fra Waddington eskadrille 463 og 467 fra Royal Australian Air Force. Under indflyvning over Sønderjylland fik tyske natjagere ram på Lancaster JB 412 fra eskadrille 83 ved Varnæs omkring kl. 02.20 – måske blev JA967 også fra eskadrille 83 ramt samtidigt idet billedet af højre ydervinge viser skudhuller i vingetippen. Minutter senere da Lancaster HK537, eskadrille 463 befandt sig over Augustenborg Fjord blev den sandsynligvis ramt af ”Friendly bombs” (bomber fra egne fly) og så alvorligt skadet, at piloten valgte at returnere til basen for at redde fly og besætning. I det skydækkede luftrum over Broballe stødte HK537 sammen med Lancaster JA967 fra eskadrille 83, der mistede begge ydervinger og den højre ydermotor. Lancaster HK537 forsatte og eksploderede med sin bombelast ,da det ramte marken 300 meter vest for Pommersgaard i Mjels. Uden begge ydervinger og med 3 stoppede motorer styrtede JA967 brændende ned i Broballe, og flyet eksploderede, da det ramte marken lige syd for den gamle Mjelsvej - i lavningen ca 100 meter nordøst for denne mindeplads. Alle 14 besætningsmedlemmer omkom og 13 af dem blev begravet tidligt om morgenen den 2. februar på kirkegården i Aabenraa. Det manglende besætningsmedlem - Sgt F.C.W.Bull blev senere fundet i nærheden af krateret efter HK537 og blev uofficielt begravet der. Stedet blev efter krigens afslutning officielt indviet, men senere sløjfet og de jordiske rester flyttet til flyvergravene i Aabenraa. Mindepladsen for de omkomne flyvere blev indviet i 1994 på 50-års dagen for denne ulykkelige hændelse. - Æret være deres minde.

BESÆTNINGEN PÅ JA 967 FRA ESKADRILLE 83 RAF - STATION WYTON / THE CREW OF JA 967 FROM ESKADRILLE 83 RAF - STATION WYTON.

F/Lt Horace Robert Hyde pilot

F/O Peter Groucutt Davies rear gunner

F/O Brian Andrew James bombaimer

F/Lt Clement Charles Lockyer navigator

Sgt Robert McKerlay flight engineer

F/O William Bowman Robson w.t.operator

F/Sg t Arthur Waite mid upper gunner

BESÆTNINGEN PÅ HK537 FRA 463 SQUADRON RAF - STATION WADDINGTON / THE CREW OF HK537 FROM 463 SQUADRON RAAF - STATION WADDINGTON.

F/Lt Norman Percival Cooper RAAF pilot

Sgt Francis Charles William Bull RAF flight engineer

F/Sgt Lewis Havelock Christmas RAAF bombaimer

Sgt Ronald James Grist RAF mid upper gunner

P/O George Jeffreys Kerr RAAF navigator

Sgt Frederick Ernest Robson RAF w.t.operator

F/Sgt Harold Suthers RCAF rear gunner

[ENG] At about midnight, on the 28th/29th January 1944, nearly 700 bombers flew from their bases in Eastern England to penetrate deep into Germany – Their target was Berlin (‘The Big City’). 83 Squadron (Pathfinders), from RAF Wyton together with 463 and 467 Squadron, Royal Australian Air force, based at Waddington all took part in the sortie. As allied bombers approached Danish airspace they were engaged by German night fighters and Lancaster JB412 belonging to 83 Squadron was shot down near Varnaes at 02.20 hours. Possibly, Lancaster JA967 from 83 Squadron was also hit during this attack, as there were bullet holes, along the tip of the starboard wing. Minutes later, Lancaster HK537 from 463 Squadron was in the area above Augustenborg Fjord. The bomber was probably struck by ‘friendly bombs’. Seriously damaged, the pilot decided to try and return to England in order to save his crew and aircraft. In the cloudy airspace above the village of Broballe, whilst turning back into the oncoming bomber stream, HK537 collided with JA967 causing the latter to lose both outer wings and its starboard outer engine. Following this collision HK537 crashed in open countryside, 300 meters west of Pommersgaard, close to the village of Mjels and blew up together with its bomb load. With only 3 engines and no outer wings, the burning JA967 plummeted towards Broballe. The aircraft crashed and exploded in a field at a position just 100 meters north east from this place. All 14 crew members from the two aircraft were killed. 13 of them were buried in Aabenraa cemetery, early in the morning of 2nd February 1944. Sgt F.C.W.Bull’s body was found later near the crash site of HK537 and was unofficially buried close by. After the war, this grave was offi cially consecrated but later levelled and his body was moved to Aabenraa cemetery for allied airmen where he was buried with his crew. This memorial place is dedicated to the perished airmen. It was raised and consecrated on 29th January 1994 the 50th anniversary. - All honour to their memory.