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Stirling III BF508 crashed in Fænøsund on 21/4 1943
The aircraft belonged to RAF 90 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded WP-S.
T/O 21:49 Ridgewell OP: Rostock.
After take off the Stirling left England via Cromer and was supposed to cross
the Danish coast at the southern end of Ringkøbing Fjord and then go to Fyns
Hoved where it should set course for Rostock.
It was however seen flying over Taulov on fire and shortly after, at 00:44
hours, it crashed into Fænøsund near Teglgaarden
farm on the position 55`29`12 N 09`43`30 E killing all onboard.
According to "Kriegstagesbuch des Kommandant im Abschnitt dänische Westküste"
seventy some aircrafts passed Esbjerg some 40 kilometers south of the coast
crossing point, and apparently all flak in the area opened up aiming at the
bombers. A theory is, and it must be stressed that it is merely a theory, that
BF508 was hit while flying over Esbjerg and was continuing east on fire until it
crashed.
The dead bodies
of Pilot F/Lt Anthony S.W. Prioleau and two more crewmembers were found on the
same night and taken to Odense, where they were laid to rest on
Assistenskirkegaarden cemetery on April 23 as three unknown airmen.
In 1946 the bodies were exhumed for identification purposes by The British Army
and the body of Prioleau was identified. He’s two comrades still rests as
unknown airmen.
The body of Navigator Sgt Dennis Stowe was found in the morning of June 15 by
Odden in Faenosund. It was handed over to the German Commandant in Middelfart
and brought to Esbjerg, where it was buried in Fovrfelt cemetery on June 19.
The dead body of W/Op Sgt Charles D. McKelvie was found on the beach of
Skrillinge Strand on July 23 at 21:05 hours and brought to the Hospital in
Middelfart. McKelvie was laid to rest in Fovrfelt cemetery in Esbjerg on July
29-1943.
Those who rest as unknown airmen or have no known grave are: Air Bomber Sgt
William T. Leathley, Air Gnr. Sgt Reginald H. Dunstan, Air Gnr. Sgt Mervyn Leonard
and Flt. Engr Sgt Harold Munnery. They are all commemorated on the Runnymede
Memorial.
Note: Fænøsund forms part of The Lille Bælt just south of Middelfart.
Sources: WD, LBUK, FAF, RL 19/455, The Danish Lighthouse Administration, BE,
AS, SF.
The night of 20/21 April 1943
Halifax II JB930 crash landed near Esbjerg
20/4-1943
Lancaster III ED620 crashed near Stadil 20/4-1943
Lancaster III ED614 crashed Vester Vedsted
21/4-1943
Unknown Lancaster crashed Strandgården farm, Halskov
21/4-1943
Stirling III BK714 crashed Tarp, Esbjerg 21/4-1943
Stirling III BF508 crashed in Fænøsund on 21/4 1943
Halifax II DT747 crashed Hjertingvej road in
Sædding, Esbjerg 21/4-1943
Lancaster III ED557 believed crashed Store Bælt
21/4-1943
Stirling I R9261 crashed by Kongsmark on 21/41943
Halifax II HR722 crashed Store Bælt off
Drøsselbjerg Klint 21/4-1943
Halifax II HR712 crashed Store Bælt near Slipshavn
21/4-1943
Stirling III BF463 crashed in Store Bælt off
Halskov on 21/4 1943
Lancaster III ED818 crashed Vresen Ø 21/4-1943
Stirling III BF506 shot down by Bøgballe on 21/4
1943
Lancaster I W4330 crashed Vestbirk 21/4-1943
Halifax II HR714 crashed in the tidal area off the
island of Mandø 21/4 1943.
Stirling III BK698 shot down over The North Sea on
21/4 1943
Stirling III BF476 crash-landed at Kragelund Fælled
North of Vejle on 21/4 1943
Lancaster ED709 crashed Ringkøbing Fjord 21/4 1943
Back to 1943
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