Date: 1941 Aug 02/03 | A/C Type: Wellington IC | SN: R1800 | Code: SR-T | A/C Nickname: | ||||||
File: 62 | Airforce: RAF | Sqn/Unit: 101 Sqn | Mission/Raid: Hamburg | |||||||
1 | Pilot | Sgt. William R. Davey MIA | 9 | |||||||
2 | CP/nav | Sgt. Wilson Watson MIA | 10 | |||||||
3 | Fl Eng/AG | Sgt. Lawrence Hill MIA | 11 | |||||||
4 | WO/AG | Sgt. Gordon Alan Smith MIA | 12 | |||||||
5 | WO/AG | Sgt. William Horace Walker buried Leeuwarden | 13 | |||||||
6 | Rear gunner | Sgt. Thomas C. Quinlan buried Scharl | 14 | |||||||
7 | 15 | |||||||||
8 | 16 | |||||||||
German nightfighter reported that the Wellington exploded. 1km NW Stavoren. On route to Hamburg. |
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An explosion would explain why only the upper (Walker) and rear gunner were found in the water (Sgt. Quinlan on 14 August 1941).
This reduces the chance that the other (MIA) four crew members washed ashore as complete bodies and were buried as unknown airmen on this coastline.
Most of the bomb load can still be in this position on the lake bottom, with possible human remains entangled in aircraft debris.
See also our cemetery-file onLeeuwarden: http://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/937.html
And cemetery Scharl: http://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/967.html
Sources:
- www.teunispats.net/t1158a.htm
- www.teunispats.net/jack-edward-gibbs.htm -> allow a few minutes to load (big site), then use CTRL + F and enter R1800 in the search field.
- website CWGC
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