Blenheim IV T1889 crashlanded near Vust 13/8-1940

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Blenheim IV T1889 crashlanded near Vust 13/8-1940.

The aircraft belonged to RAF 82 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded UX-L
T/o 0840 Watton OP:Aalborg.

After bombing Aalborg West Pilot Sgt Oates managed to escape from the fighters and headed west over the North sea. After a while he realised that he would not be able to fly all the way to England due to low fuel level. Not wanting to ditch the Blenheim it was decided to turn back to Denmark. When they reached the coast the fighters showed up again and attacked the Blenheim.
Oates crash landed under fire on a meadow near Vust. It was a rough landing and Oates was knocked out. During the landing the Blenheim broke its back and Air gunner Sgt. T Graham was thrown clear of the aircraft, while Navigator P/O R.M. Biden and Oates were trapped inside the fuselage.
Two local people named Laurits Sørensen and Ditlev Brix saw the landing and ran over to the aircraft, where Brix actually lifted the wreck to allow Sørensen to pull Oates free and place him in front of the wreckage. Next Biden, who suffered from wounds in a leg was helped out of the wreck.

(Ole Rønnest)

Air gunner Sgt. T Graham

(Ole Rønnest)

Pilot Sgt Oates

(Ole Rønnest)

Navigator P/O R.M. Biden

Graham was nearly unhurt and looked around for a place to hide. After a short while he returned and set alight some papers from the aircraft. A German truck with soldiers arrived and took control. A little later Oates and Biden were taken by ambulance to Fjerritslev hospital where Doctor Pedersen and his staff took well care of them.
In September Biden was moved to a German field lazaretto and after a short while he was moved to Dulag Luft in Oberursel. After interrogation he was moved to Offlag IX A/H Schloss Spangenberg. Later he was moved to Stalag Luft I Barth and on to Stalag Luft III Sagan.

Oates stayed in Fjerritslev hospital until late October when he was moved to a field Lazarett in Schleswig-Holstein where he met with Bill Magrath of R2772. Oates was later moved to Stalag IXC Mühlhausen from where he was repatriated in October 1943.

Graham was taken to Aalborg West airfield and the next day he and four fellow flyers were flown to an airfield near Hamburg by a Ju 52. Here they were loaded onto a truck and taken to Dulag Luft in Oberursel for interrogation. Graham was then sent to Stalag Luft I Barth and later to Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug to end up in Stalag 357 Fallingbostel.

Johnny Oates laying in front of the aircraft

Germans searching the aircraft

T1889

T1889 being moved to Aalborg

(Olaf Timmermann)

Sources: Ole Rønnest, Aabybro, LBUK, WD, OLCB.

Links to the other crashed aircrafts:

August 13 1940 attack on Aalborg West

Blenheim IV R1933 crashed in Restrup enge on 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV R3800 crashed in Limfjorden on 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV R2772 ditched in Limfjorden north of Egholm island on 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV R3821 crashed at Aalborg West on 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV R3829 crashed in Torpet Kær, Vadum on 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV R3904 crashed two km. east of Aabybro on 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV T1827 crashed two km. east of Kaas on 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV R3802 crashed two km. east of Kaas 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV T1934 crashed in Tranum dune plantation 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV R3913 crashed in Tranum dune plantation 13/8-1940

Blenheim IV T1889 crash landed near Vust 13/8-1940

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