Airwar over Denmark

Airwar over Denmark

 By Søren C. Flensted

Home

Allied:
1939-1940 Updated 1/1-12
1941 Updated 17/1-12
1942 Updated 1/2-12
1943 Updated 21/1-12
1944 Updated 3/2-12
1945 Updated 27/1-12

Lost without trace

German:
1939 Updated 3/8-05
1940 New 3/2-12
1941 Updated 13/11-11
1942 Updated 23/1-11
1943 Updated 10/5-11
1944 Updated 6/2-11
1945 Updated and new 21/1-12

Sources
Contact
Links

Search this site by entering search words:



powered by FreeFind

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.

 

 

Back to 1930 - 1940

Top of page
Top of page

 

 

  Copyright  ©  Søren C. Flensted 2004 - 2012