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Lancaster I RA526 crashed in the sea of Kattegat west of
the island of Samsø 12/3 1945.
The aircraft belonged to RAF 153 Sqn. Bomber Command and was coded P4-J.
T/O 17:35 Scampton. Op: Gardening the sea of Kattegat.
In the target area RA526 was attacked by a German JU 88G-1 nightfighter coded
D5+AL piloted by Hauptmann Eduard Schröder of 1./ NJG 3 with the crew of
Hessenmüller, Zeinert and Brunsendorf.
At 21:16 hours the Lancaster crashed burning into the sea on position 55`51`26N
10`30`30E just west of Ringebjerge on the island of Samsø killing six of the
crew members.
Only Bombardier F/O R. Mains managed to get out of the Lancaster and reach the
island of Samsø.
On Samsø there were an agreement between the local garrison of elderly peaceful
Germans and the resistance movement under command of the lighthouse keeper of
Vesborg lighthouse.
When weapons were dropped on the island for the resistance the German lookout at
“Dyret” would be manned with people “who would see nothing”.
The Lighthouse keeper was approached by the leader of the Germans and asked to
have the survivor handed over, as the crash had been seen from the mainland. If
the local garrison did not manage to find any survivors “the black gang” would
arrive from the mainland and do the search.
F/O R. Mains was eventually handed over to the local garrison and transferred to
Jylland. It is not known which POW camp he was sent to.
Pilot Kenneth A. Ayres DFC and F/Sgt Dennis Head were laid to rest in Tranebjerg
cemetery on the island of Samsø on 17/3 1945 while Sgt Robert Wilson was laid to
rest in the same cemetery on 29/4 1945.
On 14/6 the body of Sgt William C. Taylor was found washed ashore at Vesterløkke
near Tranebjerg. He was laid to rest in Tranebjerg cemetery on 15/6 1945.
On 21/7 the remains of Sgt Derrick Cox was found near Lille Vorbjerg on Samsø
and was laid to rest in Tranebjeg cemetery on 23/7 1945.
F/S Reginal J. McMinn have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede
Memorial.
Note: The co-operation between the German garrison and the resistance movement
on Samsø was excellent, and when the war ended and the Germans was supposed to
walk out of Denmark, the resistance movement of Samsø/Fyn wanted to show their
appreciation and sailed the local garrison to Bogense for a dinner before they
were sailed to Kiel.
(Mikkel Plannthin)
(Mikkel Plannthin)
(Mikkel Plannthin)
(Mikkel Plannthin)
(Mikkel Plannthin)
(Mikkel Plannthin)
(Mikkel Plannthin)
Sources: FT, FAF, BCL, CWGC, The Lighthouse Directorate, Flugbuch Schröder, Erik
Jensen.
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