Halifax B.II JB923 (VR-Q) - The Skagerrak                                            Updated:  12 JAN 2012

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
e777833.htm Acker J G WO2 RCAF 419 p466.htm HAL JB923 Minelaying The Skagerrak d290443 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
e777834.htm Allan JAL Sgt RCAF 419 p466.htm HAL JB923 Minelaying The Skagerrak d290443 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
e777836.htm Carley J W F/Sgt RCAF 419 p466.htm HAL JB923 Minelaying The Skagerrak d290443 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
e777837.htm Gourde R R F/Sgt RCAF 419 p466.htm HAL JB923 Minelaying The Skagerrak d290443 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
e777835.htm Murphy LJC F/Sgt RCAF 419 p466.htm HAL JB923 Minelaying The Skagerrak d290443 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
e777838.htm O'Connor JMB WO2 RCAF 419 p466.htm HAL JB923 Minelaying The Skagerrak d290443 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN
e777839.htm Smallwood GKA WO2 RCAF 419 p466.htm HAL JB923 Minelaying The Skagerrak d290443 e777 e777.htm NO KNOWN


Den 29. april 1943 styrtede HAL JB923 i Skagerrak (omkring her) nord for Hirtshals. Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver:
28. -29. april 1943 (kl. 01.29). Tannis Bugt nord for Hirtshals. Halifax B.II, JB923 (VR-Q). 419 BS, 6 BG, Middleton St. George, Co. Durham.
(Minering: »Silverthorn« i Kattegat) 7 MIA. (Se Minelægningsområder)

Natten mellem den 28. og 29. april 1943 foretog RAF krigens hidtil største minering. 226 fly kastede 593 miner i de danske farvande og i Østersøen. 19 Halifaxes fra
6 BG minerede i den nordlige del af Kattegat. Piloten på JB923, W/O II G.K.A. Smallwood, var på sit 7. togt, og kl. 01.29 blev han skudt ned af en tysk natjager nord
for Hirtshals. Tyskerne havde forventet en engelsk kurermaskine og derfor omtales episoden som følgende: »01.29 Uhr Quadr. 9819 nordl. Hjorring in See, Lancaster (Kurier-Maschine), Besatzung vermutlich ertrunken«. Tyskerne tog fejl, der var ikke tale om en kurer­maskine eller en Lancaster, men hele besætningen formodes druknet." (FT 89-70-27)

On 29 April 1943 HAL JB923 crashed into the Skagerrak (about here) north of Hirtshals. (Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes:
"28 - 29 April 1943 (01.29 hours). Tannis Bay north of Hirtshals. Halifax B.II, JB923 (VR-Q). 419 BS, 6 BG, Middleton St. George, Co. Durham.
(Minelaying: »Silverthorn« in the Kattegat) 7 MIA. (See Minelaying areas)

In the night between 28 and 29 April 1943 the RAF carried out the greatest minelaying operation in the war so far. 226 planes dropped 593 mines in the Danish waters
and in the Baltic Sea. 19 Halifaxes from 6 BG laid mines in the northern part of the Kattegat. Pilot of JB923, W/O II G.K.A. Smallwood was on his 7th operation, and
at 01.29 hours he was shot down by a German night fighter north of Hirtshals. The Germans had expected a British courier aircraft, so they wrote about the engage-
ment in this way: »01.29 Uhr Quadr. 9819 nordl. Hjorring in See, Lancaster (Kurier-Maschine), Besatzung vermutlich ertrunken«. (Translation: "01.29 hours Square
9819 in the sea north of Hjørring, Lancaster (courier aircraft) the crew presumably drowned.") The Germans were wrong. It was neither a courier aircraft nor a Lancaster, but all of the crew presumably drowned." (FT 89-70-27)

See Bomber Command No. 419 Squadron RCAF * 419 Squadron of Royal Canadian Air Force * The Wartime Memories Project - 419 Squadron
RAF - Handley Page Halifax. This Halifax took off from RAF Middleton St. George. Lost Bombers has this. 7 airmen.