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Halifax BII DT520 crashed in the sea off Langeland on
1/10-1942.
The aircraft belonged to RAF 10 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded ZA-J.
T/O 18:00 Melbourne. OP: Flensburg.
At 22:08 hours the Halifax was hit by flak from IV Zug 3./Lei 844 based on
southern Langeland and crashed burning into the sea 300 metres off “Stenbækgård”
farm, Nordenbro Vesteregn killing all onboard.
On 2/10 the dead body of Wop Sgt Robert F. Gourlay RCAF was found drifted ashore
at “Stenbækgaard” farm. It was identified and placed in a coffin in Magleby
chapel. The next day the coffin was collected by Unteroffizier Martinsen of the
German Wehrmacht. He informed the police in Rudkøbing that it would be taken to
Fliegerhorst Avnø on Sjælland. Gourlay was laid to rest in Svinø cemetery on
7/10-1942.
On 6/10 the area where the aircraft had crashed was swept for mines and while
doing that the body of Flt. Engr. Sgt George W. Spowart was found and brought to
Bagenkop harbour onboard the minesweeper. The body was formally identified and
was then placed in a coffin in Magleby chapel. On the next day Hauptmann
Schönfelder and Fliegerhorst Avnø collected Spowards coffin and took it to
Fliegerhorst Avnø. Spoward was laid to rest in Svinø cemetery on 9/10-1942.
On the morning of 11/10 the body of Air Gnr. Sgt Herbert S. Moore was found
drifted ashore near Ristinge. The body was formally identified and placed in a
coffin in Humble church. On 13/10 the coffin was collected by Unteroffizier
Martinsen of the Wehrmacht and brought to Odense where Moore was laid to rest in
Odense Assistens Cemetery on 14/10-1942. The German Field Priest Johannes
Vorrath officiated at the graveside ceremony.
On 14/10 the body of Air Gnr. Donald A. Ivers RCAF was found drifted ashore
on farmer Peter Petersens farm at Nordenbro Vestereng. It was identified and
placed in a coffin in Magleby church.
On the morning of 15/10 the body of Pilot Sgt David Campbell was found in the
sea off Ristinge. It was taken to a farm in Hesselbjerg where it was formally
identified by Doctor Demmagaard and Mr. Oppermann from the Danish police. It was
then placed in a coffin and taken to Humble church.
On 16/10 the body of Sgt H E. Sullivan was found drifted ashore near
“Stenbækgaard” farm. It was taken to Magleby chapel and placed in a coffin
before being identified as Sv:::van H. On the same day it was collected by
Unteroffizier Martinsen of the Wehrmacht together with the coffins of Campbell
and Ivers and taken to Odense where the three of them were laid to rest in
Odense Assistens Cemetery on 17/10-1942.
A German field priest officiated at the graveside ceremony.
On the morning of 18/10 the body of Bomb aimer/ Observer Sgt Leslie Smythson was
retrieved from the wreck and by boat taken to Bagenkop harbour where it was
identified. It was then placed in a coffin in Magleby chapel from where it was
collected by Unteroffizier Martinsen of the German Wehrmacht on 19/10 and taken
to Odense. Smythson was laid to rest in Odense Assistens cemetery on 23/10-1942.
A German field priest officiated at the graveside ceremony.
Sources: RL 19/472, AS 25-48, LBUK, BCL, CWGC.
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