Stirling W7441 - Lillebælt                                                                    Updated:  03 NOV 2014

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
o888399.htm Cobbold C J Sgt RAF 7 p049.htm STI W7441 Bomb G Lillebælt d290941 o888 o888.htm POW
o888402.htm Copley J J Sgt RAF 7 p049.htm STI W7441 Bomb G Lillebælt d290941 o888 o888.htm POW
o888401.htm Donaldson A Sgt RAF 7 p049.htm STI W7441 Bomb G Lillebælt d290941 o888 o888.htm POW
e777343.htm Fulbeck C W Sgt RAF 7 p049.htm STI W7441 Bomb G Lillebælt d290941 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
o888400.htm Neil D Sgt RAF 7 p049.htm STI W7441 Bomb G Lillebælt d290941 o888 o888.htm POW
e777345.htm Rodger E J Sgt RAF 7 p049.htm STI W7441 Bomb G Lillebælt d290941 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
e777344.htm Tovey E D Sgt RAF 7 p049.htm STI W7441 Bomb G Lillebælt d290941 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN


Den 29. september 1941 kl. 18.50 startede STI W7441 fra RAF Oakington for at lede bomberstyrken til målet Stettin (Szczecin
her).
Flyet blev skudt ned af en tysk natjager på vej mod målet og styrtede i Lillebælt her ud for Bågø kl. 22.15. (Tidspunkter fra Lost Bombers.)
4 flyvere sprang ud med faldskærm, men de blev taget til fange i løbet af et par dage. 3 flyvere har ingen kendt grav: Fulbeck, Rodger og Tovey.
4 flyvere fra
STI W7441 ses på dette foto.

29 år senere skrev Alec Donaldson sin beretning om hvordan flyet blev skudt ned og han selv blev taget til fange.
Cobbold landede på kysten ved St. Anslet. Copley landede nær Hejlsminde. Det gjorde Neil også. De blev arresteret og ført til Tyske krigsfangelejre.

STI W7441 styrtede i Lillebælt her den 29. september 1941. Den 31. oktober 1941 blev en mand uden hoved fundet drevet ind på Anslet Strand omkring her.
"Men der blev sagt, at han var yderst velklædt, hvilket godt kunne passe på en flyver fra RAF, der dengang var i deres pæne uniform med slips, når de fløj."
Han blev begravet på Fjelstrup Kirkegård den 4. november 1941 som "ukendt mand" - ikke som "ukendt flyver"! Leif Gr. Thomsen har ikke kunnet finde flere
detaljer der kan bekræfte at den fundne mand var en af de 3 savnede flyvere fra STI W7441.
7 flyvere. 
Den 29/9 2012 kl. 14.00 blev en mindesten afsløret
her for 3 omkomne flyvere fra STI W7441 ved siden af Mindesten for 6 omkomne flyvere fra Lancaster I R5702.
Se Informationstavle 2014 og fotos Avne 2014.

On 29 September 1941 at 18.50 hours
STI W7441 took off from RAF Oakington to lead bombers to the target  Stettin (Szczecin here).    
The plane was shot down by a German night fighter on its way to the target and crashed into the Lillebælt here off Bågø at 22.15 hours. (Times from Lost Bombers.)
4 airmen bailed out, but they were captured in a couple of days. 3 airmen have no known grave: Fulbeck, Rodger og Tovey. 4 airmen from
STI W7441 are in this photo.

29 years later Alec Donaldson wrote his account about how the plane was shot down and how he was captured.
Cobbold landed on the shore near St. Anslet. Copley landed near Hejlsminde and so did Neil. They were arrested and taken to German POW Camps.
See The Wartime Memories Project No: 7 Squadron with the long story of LAC John James Copley DFM.

STI W7441 crashed into the Lillebælt her on 29 September 1941. On 31 October 1941 a man without his head was found drifted ashore on Anslet Beach about here.
"But it was said that he was extremely well-dressed. This might apply to an airman of the RAF who at that time flew in their neat uniform with a tie." He was buried in Fjelstrup Churchyard on 4 November 1941 as an "unknown man" - not as an "unknown airman". Leif Gr. Thomsen has not been able to find more details to confirm
that the man found on the beach was one of the 3 missing airmen from STI W7441.

On 29 SEP 2012 at 14.00 hrs a memorial stone to the 3 perished airmen from STI W7441 was unveiled here next to Monument to 6 airmen from Lancaster I R5702.
See Bomber Command No. 7 Squadron. No. 7 Squadron RAF. 7 Squadron Association. This Stirling took off from RAF Oakington. 7 airmen.
See Information board 2014 and photos Avne 2014.