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Lancaster I R5616 crashed in the tidal area south of the
island of Mandø 17/8-1942.
The aircraft belonged to RAF 207 Sqn. and was coded EM-J.
T/O 21:00 Bottesford. OP: Gardening Geranium.
At 02:58 Lancaster R5616 was attacked by a German night fighter piloted by Major
Günther Radusch of Stab II./ NJG 3 and crashed burning in the tidal area 200
metres south of the Island of Mandø.
(Rita Lauridsen)
The German commander with the wreckage
Only FLt. Engr. Sgt Jack Read managed to
get out of the Lancaster before it crashed, and landed in his parachute in deep
water at Sønder Hoved east of Mandø.
He had broken an ankle but managed to get
up on dry land and dug into a haystack outside the dike on the south side of the
island. By mid morning he was found by local people and placed on a horse drawn
cart half filled with hay and brought to the Luftwaffe lookout post on the
island.
The Germans under the command of Hans Baumgarten took very well care of
him, until he at 16:00 at low tide was brought over to the main land and to the
Luftwaffe airfield in Esbjerg.
The day after he was taken by ambulance to Schleswig and on to Hohemark hospital at Dulag Luft in Oberursel by train.
(Read war time log)
Jack Read
Here
he stayed until 28/11 when he was sent by train to Obermasfeld Reserve Lazarett
1249 Stalag IXC. On 6/7-1943 he was sent by train to Holsdorf and on to Stalag
Luft VI Heydekrug. On 15/7-1944 he was sent by box car to Stalag 357 Thorn in
Poland. On 10/8 he was sent on a two day train ride for Stalag 357 Fallingbostel
near Celle.
(Via Finn Buch)
The crew
The rest of the crew of Lancaster R5616 perished and were laid to rest in
Fovrfelt cemetery, Esbjerg on 22/8-1942.
They were Pilot P/O Anthony J. Southwell, Air Observer F/O Dennis J. Quinlan RCAF, W/Op-Air Gnr. F/O Wilfrid M.
Edmonds RAAF, W/Op-Air Gnr. Sgt Robert Robson, Air Gnr.Sgt Thomas Douglas and
Air Gnr. F/Sgt John A. McLean RCAF.
(Via Finn Buch)
Air Observer F/O Dennis J. Quinlan RCAF
(Michael (Quinlan) Bean)
Air Observer F/O Dennis J. Quinlan RCAF
Sources: CWGC, AS 65-76, LBUK, TW, Read war time log, Theodor Hansen, Esbjerg,
RL 19/454.
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