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Stirling I R9351 crashed in Store Bælt between the island
of Sprogø and Nyborg on 19/9 1942.
The Stirling belonged to RAF 15 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded LS-R.
T/O 20:05 Bourn OP : Gardening Asparagus (The Great Belt)
While dropping mines, R9351 was hit by flak from Sprogø and Korsør, as well as
from the ship “Albrich” from Hafenschützflotille Nyborg.
R9351 started burning
and crashed into the sea at 00:39 hours near the ferry M/F “Korsør” which lay
anchored between the island of Sprogø and Nyborg due to air raid alarm. At 03:50
hours it was reported by Captain Tronhjem from the ferry that it had picked up a
surviving airman. Shortly after he was picked up by a German boat
from Korsør. After interrogation in Oberursel he was sent to Stalag Luft III
Sagan.
It was Pilot P/O John Miller Steel who went down with the Stirling
when it had hit the water. He was stunned by the crash and came to under the
water. He got out of the plane after a struggle and reached the surface half
drowned and then swam after the dinghy and scrambled on board.
The rest of the crew died and have no known graves and are commemorated on the
Runnymede Memorial.
They were Navigator Sgt Jack G. Newman, W/Op Sgt Stanley Greenbeck, W/Op Thomas
C. Smith, Air Gnr. Sgt Edward A.J. King, Flt Engr. Sgt Thomas B. Brown and
Navigator Sgt Roy A. Heathcote.
The wreck of the Stirling was located and blown away on June 15 1990 when the
bridge over Store Bælt was constructed.
(Ronald M Steel)
Pilot P/O John Miller Steel
(Julie Smith)
W/Op Thomas C. Smith
(Julie Smith)
W/Op Thomas C. Smith
Sources: RL 19/454+455+472, LBUK, BCL, 1st Officer Petersens report, Ronald
Steel.
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