Date: 1941 Sep 28/29			A/C Type: Wellington IC		SN: T2879		Code: LN-		A/C Nickname:
File: 417		Airforce: RAF		Sqn/Unit:  Sqn			Mission/Raid: Genua
1	Pilot	Joseph Stewart Parry           (New Zealand) - MIA					9
2	CP/Obs	Sgt. Ian James Robertson     buried Texel island					10
3	Fl Eng/AG	Sgt. Hugh McLennan MacDonald (New Zeal.) Texel					11
4	WO/AG	P/O William R.J. Brown  (Can) - Harlingen					12
5	WO/AG	Sgt. Alfred W. M. Chapman (Australia) - MIA					13
6	Rear gunner	Sgt.. Edward Fieldhouse                MIA					14
7							15
8							16
Possibly received Flak damage after crossing the Dutch coast at Rotterdam/The Hague on the return journey. Over the sea some 40km NW off The Hague the aircraft was turned back into direction of the mainland, crew had to use their parachutes, probably unaware in the darkness and clouds that they were still over the sea. A/C flew on for some minutes and crashed east side of Landsmeer.

.
3,5 weeks later three crew members washed ashore. Sgt. Robertson and Sgt. MacDonald on the North Sea side of Texel island at de Koog. The next day another airman washed ashore NW of de Koog. He remained unidentified.  

Pilot Officer William Brown was pressed into the Wadden Sea through the Den Helder - Texel island gap. The current flows towards the Afsluitdyke and eventually P/O Brown was buried in Harlingen.

Some years ago, the aircraft was recovered at Landsmeer. To surprise of everyone, the aircraft contained no human remains, which was the main reason for the recovery. A monument for the crew stands on the crash location today (see underneath link).

The 3 MIA crew are still at sea, or washed ashore and buried as unknown airman from Noordwijk up to the Danish west coast.

 



Sources: 

- http://www.nfla.nl/T2879.html 
- website CWGC
- original burial files Texel Isand 1940-1945




© ZZairwar (Zuyder Zee Air War)