Date: 1940 Jul 25/26			A/C Type: Wellington IC		SN: R3235		Code: AA-		A/C Nickname:
File: 189		Airforce: RAF		Sqn/Unit: 75 Sqn			Mission/Raid: Kassel
1	Pilot	F/O William H. Coleman        New Zealand					9
2	Navigator	P/O Frank T. Poole					10
3	WO/AG	Sgt. Norman W. Brown					11
4	Bomb aimer	Sgt. John Dowds					12
5	F/Engineer	Sgt. William E. Nevill					13
6	Tail gunner	Sgt. W. Annan                         New Zealand					14
7							15
8							16
Made a hard belly landing in Lake IJsselmeer (Old Zuyder Sea), 100m off shore of Uitdam. Crew jumped out just before, all drowned (KIA). First Wellington (of many) crashed in the Zuyder Sea during WW2.

The men washed ashore/fished-up and were recovered on different dates, buried Amsterdam.

There is a photo of this Wellington laying in front of the Uitdam-dike, half under water.

Sgt. Brown was the first Allied airman (fished up in the trawl net) and brought in Volendam harbour.
Full story and interview with an eye-witness on board the boat follows later. 





© ZZairwar (Zuyder Zee Air War)