Airwar over Denmark

Airwar over Denmark

 By Søren C. Flensted

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Allied:
1939-1940 Updated 13/1-08
1941 Updated 18/12-07
1942 Updated 29/3-08
1943 Updated 5/5-08
1944 Updated 5/5-08
1945 Updated 29/3-08

German:
1939 Updated 3/8-05
1940 Updated 16/3-08
1941 Updated 18/12-07
1942 Updated 10/3-07
1943 Updated 20/5-06
1944 Updated 28/4-08
1945 March  New

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Whitley V N1405 crashed in the tidal waters north of Morsum, Sylt 19/3-1940.


The aircraft belonged to RAF 51 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded MH-?
T/O 20:35 Dishforth. OP: Hörnum, Sylt.


At 23:30 hours N1405 had just dropped its bomb load when it was caught by searchlights and hit by flak from 2,3,4 and 5./111 detachments. It continued unsteady and burning towards north to the Danish island of Rømø and then turned out over the sea and finally at 23:35 crashed and exploded in the tidal area north of Morsum, Sylt and west of Rømø.

All on board perished.
Pilot F/L John E. Baskerville, Pilot P/O Emery O`Fennel and W/Op-Air Gnr. L.A.C. Leslie Close now rests in Kiel War Cemetery while Observer Sgt. Bertram D. Shepperson has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
 
The body of W/Op-Air Gnr. L.A.C. William G. Newton was washed ashore on the island of Rømø on 26/5. On 28/5 he was given a military burial by the German Wehrmacht in Kirkeby cemetery. The parish minister of Kirkeby R. Jørgensen officiated at the graveside ceremony.



William G. Newton's grave

 

 

Sources: FAF, BCL, KK, RL, CWGC, Newspaper The Times.

 

 

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