Date: 1941 Jul 15/16			A/C Type: Wellington IC		SN: R3171		Code: AA-		A/C Nickname:
File: 177		Airforce: RAF		Sqn/Unit:  75 Sqn			Mission/Raid: Duisburg
1	Pilot	Sgt. Robert E. Fotheringham        New Zealand					9
2	CP/Obs	Sgt. Joseph H. C. Roberts              Canada					10
3	Fl Eng/AG	Sgt. Eric V. K. Higgins                     Australia - MIA					11
4	WO/AG	Sgt. Sydney Allan Dyer               New Zealand - MIA					12
5	WO/AG	Sgt. Phillip E. Hare                       New Zealand - MIA					13
6	Rear gunner	Sgt. Douglas M. MacKinnon      New Zealand - MIA					14
7							15
8							16
Crashed at night in the North Sea. We estimate on the line Hook of Holland - Feltwell (their base in Norfolk).

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Pilot Robert Fotheringham washed ashore on the Dutch shore at Petten and buried there at the foot of the church. He had the German text on his cross 'Neuseeland Uffz.' (NCO from New Zealand). Post war he was exhumed and identified. He rests now in a 'Petten-row' in the Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery' in the south-west of the Netherlands.

See for more our files on Petten and Bergen-op-Zoom. In the Search Menu search on: Cemeteries - Lake Area Cemeteries - Petten or Bergen-op-Zoom (UK section).  

Sgt. Joe Roberts from Canada washed ashore Dutch coast at Zandvoort, at a stretch owned by Amsterdam. He was buried in Amsterdam on 12 August 1941, after 3,5 weeks at sea. 

On the 17th August again an unknown Sgt. washed ashore at Zandvoort. He was and is never identified and buried as 'Known to God' in Amsterdam. Since he is probably English, we believe he does not belong to this crew.

The 4 missing (MIA) crew members can be in the wreck or buried as unknown (RNZAF) Sgt. from The Hague up to the Danish west coast, period 17 July 1941 - April 1942.

 



Sources: 

- website CWGC
- Our research on Petten Churchyard 1940-1945 and Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery.
- 2012 reconstruction of the original Amsterdam burial files 1940-1945.




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