Stirling III BF506 AA-P - At Bøgballe                             21 April 2013       Updated:  10 JUN 2022            

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
a014129.htm Cobb C T F/Sgt RNZAF 75 p162.htm STI BF506 Bomb G At Bøgballe d210443 b180543 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014130.htm Earle F J Sgt RAF 75 p162.htm STI BF506 Bomb G At Bøgballe d210443 b300443 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014131.htm Ellis W H F/Sgt RAF 75 p162.htm STI BF506 Bomb G At Bøgballe d210443 b300443 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014132.htm Salt I C F/Sgt RNZAF 75 p162.htm STI BF506 Bomb G At Bøgballe d210443 b300443 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014133.htm Tolley A G P/O RNZAF 75 p162.htm STI BF506 Bomb G At Bøgballe d210443 b300443 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014134.htm Town GAR Sgt RAF 75 p162.htm STI BF506 Bomb G At Bøgballe d210443 b300443 c014.htm Esbjerg
a014135.htm Upton F W F/Sgt RNZAF 75 p162.htm STI BF506 Bomb G At Bøgballe d210443 b300443 c014.htm Esbjerg


"Under en stor overflyvning af Danmark natten til den 21. april 1943, hvor bombemålene var Stettin
og Rostock, nedstyrtede mindst 17 fly på dansk
område. Fra 8 af disse fly blev i alt 40 dræbte flyvere begravet i Esbjerg. De 37 begravedes om formiddagen den 30. april 1943 ved den største jordfæstelse af allierede flyvere under besættelsen (se foto). Ved højtideligheden medvirkede en tysk feltpræst, og der blev nedlagt kranse fra både den tyske værnemagt og Esbjerg byråd.

Fra Stirling BF506 (Rostock) nåede man at sende (03.00 - Kilde: FT 90-48-10) et signal hjem om, at flyet var i brand, inden det styrtede ned (kl. 03.26 Kilde: Chorley)
og splintredes ved Bøgballe vest for Horsens. Hele besætningen blev dræbt." (FAF) "Efter styrtet bjærgede tyske soldater fra flybasen i Rye her ligene af 6 flyvere fra besætningen og tog dem til Esbjerg, hvor de blev begravet. Da nedstyrtningsstedet blev udgravet 11. maj, blev liget af F/Sgt Cobb fundet og han blev begravet ved sin besætning den 18. maj."
(Aircrew Remembered has this + Archive Report.)
Det forklarer hvorfor F/Sgt C.T. Cobb ikke blev begravet i samme række som de 6 andre, se
Grave 1948.

Signe Rømer har fastslået, at hendes far
Mads Nielsen skulle indsamle dele af lig og lægge dem i kister, han havde leveret. Derfor fejrede han sin 85 års fødselsdag
den 2. april 1971 ved at afsløre mindestenen han selv havde betalt. Flere detaljer fra
Signe Rømer i 2008 og i 2013. Se øjenvidnet Hanne Jørgensen i 2011 og
nedstyrtningsstedet her, overblik her i 1943 og 2005. Se Dele fra STI BF506 givet til pårørende den 21. april 2013.

Se også Kostbar gave på Hitlers fødselsdag - Horsens Folkeblad. Besætningen på STI BF506 * Flyvere slapper af * Grave 1948 * Bill Ellis mindes.
Den 20. og 21. april besøgte slægtninge fra New Zealand og United Kingdom gravene i Esbjerg og deltog
ved Bøgballe, 70 år efter styrtet, se 21 April 2013 med
mange detaljer. Der er en artikel, manuskripter til taler og en række fotos. Der var reception i Uldum. Vi besøgte Aale og Skanderborg Bunkerne.
Se
Google Map April 2013    Google Map planesRNZAF.

Mindesten for 7 flyvere fra STI BF506 rejst her af Mads Nielsen, Bøgballe. Se Officielt besøg 1985*Gæster fra New Zealand 1998 og 2004* Ved mindestenen 2008.
Se Om mindeceremonier 4. maj 2011 og tale af Anders Straarup. Foto 25. maj 2011 viser nedstyrtningsstedet bag
Mindestenen.
7 flyvere. Flere links i engelsk version. Se Stettin + Rostock 20 - 21 April 1943. Se også STI BF476 der mavelandede på Kragelund Fælled her 40 minutter tidligere.

"At least 17 planes crashed in Danish territory during a great overflight of Denmark on the night before 21 April 1943 targeting Stettin - Szczecin and Rostock.
From 8 of these planes 40 perished airmen were buried in Esbjerg. 37 of them were buried before noon on 30 April 1943 at the greatest interment of allied airmen
during the occupation (photo). A German army chaplain took part in the ceremony, and wreaths were laid from the German Wehrmacht and the Town Council of
Esbjerg.

From Stirling BF506 (Rostock) they just had time to send a signal home (at 03.00 - Source:FT 90-48-10) that the plane was burning, before it crashed and splintered
at Bøgballe west of Horsens (at 03.26 Source: Chorley). All of the crew were killed.
" (FAF) "After the crash, nearby Luftwaffe soldiers from the airfield at Rye here
retrieved the bodies of 6 of the crew, taking them to Esbjerg for burial. When the crash site was excavated on May the 11th, the body of Flight Sergeant Cobb was
found and laid to rest with his crew on the 18th. May." (Aircrew Remembered has this + Archive Report.) That explains why F/Sgt C.T. Cobb was not buried in the same row as the
6 others, see also
Graves 1948.

Signe Rømer has stated that her father Mads Nielsen had to collect parts of bodies and put them into coffins that he had provided. That was why he celebrated his
85th anniversary on 2 April 1971 by unveiling the memorial stone at his own expense. More details from
Signe Rømer in 2008 and in 2013.
See eye witness Hanne Jørgensen in 2011 and
the crash site here, overview here in 1943 and 2005. See Pieces from STI BF506 given to relatives on 21 April 2013.
See also Expensive present on Hitler's birthday -
Horsens Folkeblad on 20 April 1988.

On 20 and 21 April 2013 relatives from New Zealand and the United Kingdom visited the graves in Esbjerg and attended the ceremony near Bøgballe 70 years after
the crash, see
21 April 2013 with many details. There is an article, manuscripts for speeches and a number of photos. There was a reception in Uldum. We visited
Aale and Skanderborg Bunkerne.
See Google Map April 2013 and Google Map planesRNZAF

Monument to 7 airmen from STI BF506 erected here by Mads Nielsen, Bøgballe. See Official visit 1985, Visitors from New Zealand 1998 and 2004 and
At monument 2008.
See also About memorial ceremonies 2011 and the speech in Bøgballe. Photo 25 May 2011 shows the crash site behind the Monument.
Aircrew Remembered has this + Archive Report. See No. 75 Squadron RNZAF-Wikipedia. This Stirling took off from RAF Newmarket.
The IBCC has more on the Operation at each airman.See The crew of Stirling III BF506 * Airmen are relaxing * Graves 1948 * Bill Ellis remembered * 21 April 2014.
75(nz)squadron has a lot including RAF Records April 1943 - find 20.04.43 with details of the last flight of this plane and crew. 75 Squadron Association NZ + UK
See also Stettin + Rostock 20 - 21 April 1943. See also STI BF476 which crash landed at Kragelund Fælled
here 40 minutes earlier.  7 airmen.