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Wellington III X3840 crash landed near Rejsby on 9/5-1942.
The aircraft belonged to RCAF (RAF) 419 sqn. and was coded VR-J.
T/O 22:15 Mildenhall. OP: Warnemünde.
After an uneventful trip across the North Sea Wellington X3840 was attacked by a
German nightfighter piloted by Oberfeldwebel Paul Gildner of II./NJG 2 over
Southern Jylland. Air Observer P/O Cornelius J. Porter was killed by a bullet
thru the head and Co Pilot Sgt Clayton L. MacCallum was wounded in his head and
both legs.
(Peter Lund)
Clayton L. MacCallum
Rear Gunner F/Sgt Donald K.G.MacMillan was wounded in the legs. It
was decided to return to England, but after a short while it was clear that it
would not be possible because they lost fuel much to fast, and at 02:20 Pilot
F/Sgt James D. Giddens belly landed the aircraft just to the north of Rejsby.
Front Gunner Sgt George K.W.Robinson and Wop F/Sgt Benedict J. McKinley help to
bring the wounded and the body of Porter out of the aircraft, after which
Giddens set it on fire with the signal pistol.
Local people arrived and when the
crew told them that two of them were wounded an ambulance was called for.
(Peter Lund)
McKinley
Before
it arrived a truck carrying fish came by, the crew entered it and was taken to
the hospital in Ribe where the wounded was treated and Giddens. McKinley and
Robinson were given breakfast.
At 04:00 the Danish police arrived and at 06:00
the German Wehrmacht arrived to collect those who were not wounded. They were
taken to Barbara-Lager in Ribe and later sent to Germany.
Apart from MacMillan
they were all sent to Stalag Luft III Sagan where Giddens stayed for the rest of
the war.
The three other was later sent to Stalag Luft VI Heydekrug and further
on to Stalag Luft IV Gross Tychow, that is except for McKinley who was sent to
357 Thorn / Fallingbostel.
MacMillan was sent to Stalag IXC Mühlhausen and later
to 357 Thorn / Fallingbostel.
They all returned to Canada after the war.
Sources: BE, CWGC, LBUK, RL 19/472, Peter Lund Skærbæk, UA, AS 65-65+69, OLCB.
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