"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.
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