Wellington III BK368 - Near Filskov                                            Updated:  11 MAY 2021

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
a014093.htm Bullen W Sgt RAF 166 p140.htm WEL BK368 Minelaying Near Filskov d090343 b1303432 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014094.htm Denslow D G F/O RAF 166 p140.htm WEL BK368 Minelaying Near Filskov d090343 b130343 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014095.htm Kavanagh J P P/O RCAF 166 p140.htm WEL BK368 Minelaying Near Filskov d090343 b130343 c014.htm Esbjerg
o888074.htm Sandilands J Sgt RAF 166 p140.htm WEL BK368 Minelaying Near Filskov d090343 o888 o888.htm POW
a014096.htm Weller A L P/O RCAF 166 p140.htm WEL BK368 Minelaying Near Filskov d090343 b130343 c014.htm Esbjerg


Den 9. marts 1943 kl. 21.30 styrtede WEL BK368 ned nær Filskov ved stedet her, (overblik her) hvor et monument blev afsløret den 5. maj 2008. Se p140MACR.
Flyet havde været på en minelægningsoperation. Se Minelægningsområder. Samme dag afsløredes et monument for besætningen på LAN ND675.
Se Folder p290 + p140 fra Filskov Lokalhistoriske Arkiv via Anne-Vibe Jensen, Billund Kommune. 2 sider om LAN ND675 fulgt af 2 sider om WEL BK368.

Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift:
"Medens 264 RAF bombefly fløj til München, minerede 62 fly i de danske farvande, Kielerbugten og ved de Frisiske øer. Tre Wellingtons gik tabt, og mindst to af disse havde mineret i Lillebælt. Den kraftige aktivitet i luften over Lillebælt havde adviseret tyskerne, og på hjemturen blev BK368 skudt ned af en tysk natjager. Det lykkedes telegrafisten, Sgt. James Sandilands, at komme ud af flyet i meget lav højde, og faldskærmen foldede sig ud, lige før han ramte jorden og brækkede et ben. Han fik
hurtigt hjælp og blev transporteret til Give sygehus. To andre besætningsmedlemmer kom også fri af flyet, men deres faldskærm nåede ikke at folde sig ud, før de
ramte jorden og blev dræbt. Piloten P/O John Patrick Kavanagh, og et andet besætningsmedlem blev fundet dræbt i flyet." (FT 90-48-9)

4 flyvere fra WEL BK368 blev begravet den 13. marts 1943 i Esbjerg. 1 besætningsmedlem blev krigsfange. Han endte i Tyske krigsfangelejre. (Kilde:FAF) 5 flyvere.

On 9 March 1943 at 21.30 hours WEL BK368 crashed near Filskov at the place here, (overview here) where a monument was unveiled on 5 May 2008.
The plane had been on a minelaying operation.  See Minelaying areas. On the same day a monument to the crew of  LAN ND675 was unveiled.
See Folder p290 + p140 from Filskov Lokalhistoriske Arkiv via Anne-Vibe Jensen, the Municipality of Billund. 2 pages LAN ND675 and 2 pages about WEL BK368.

(Danish) Aviation Historical Review:
"While 264 bombers from the RAF headed for Munich, 62 planes were on minelaying operations in Danish waters, the Kiel Bay and at the Frisian Islands. 3 Wellingtons were lost, and at least 2 of them had dropped mines into the Lillebælt. The heavy activity in the air over the Lillebælt had advised the Germans. BK368 was shot down on the return flight by a German night fighter. Sergeant (Wireless Operator) James Sandilands managed to bail out at a very low altitude, and his parachute opened up just before he hit the ground and broke his leg. Soon he got help. He was taken to Give Hospital. 2 other crew members also bailed out, but their parachutes did not open up before they hit the ground and were killed. Pilot Officer (Pilot) John Patrick Kavanagh and  1 other crew member were found killed in the plane." (FT 90-48-9)

4 airmen from WEL BK368 were buried on 13 March 1943 in Esbjerg. 1 crew member became a POW. He was taken to German POW-Camps. (Source: FAF)
See No. 166 Squadron RAF-Wikipedia * RAF 166 Squadron * 166 Squadron RAF-Lincolnshire.info.
Wellington III BK368 AS-P took off from RAF Kirmington at 18.43 hrs on 09 MAR 1943. (Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.) See p140MACR. 5 airmen.