Gerald Albert Raymond Town Photo: Knud Riis  21 April 2013  10 JUN 2022  

Airman: a014134.htm Surname: Town Init: GAR Rank: Sgt Service: RAF Sqdn: 75

P_link: p162.htm Plane: STI BF506 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: At Bøgballe

Crash_d: d210443 Buried_d: b300443 C_link: c014.htm At_Next: Esbjerg, A. 11. 15

 "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 Stirling BF506 (Rostock) nåede man at sende et signal hjem om, at flyet var i brand, inden det styrtede
ned og splintredes ved Bøgballe vest for Horsens. Hele besætningen blev dræbt." (FAF)
Se nedstyrtningsstedet her i 1943 og 2005. Fra øjenvidner: Signe Rømer i 2008 * Hanne Jørgensen i 2011.

Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Gerald Albert Raymond Town var fra United Kingdom. (Kilde: CWGC)
Lynne Truex talte for de 3 flyvere fra United Kingdom den
21 April 2013.

Mindesten for 7 flyvere fra STI BF506 rejst her af Mads Nielsen, Bøgballe. Se Officielt besøg 1985,
Gæster fra New Zealand 1998 og 2004 og Ved mindestenen 2008.
Se Om mindeceremonier 4. maj 2011
og tale af Anders Straarup. Foto 25. maj 2011 viser nedstyrtningsstedet bag
Mindestenen.
Se Stettin+Rostock April 1943 *
Kostbar gave på Hitlers fødselsdag * Besætningen på STI BF506.
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 Stirling BF506 (Rostock) they just had time to send a signal home that the plane was burning, before
it crashed and splintered at Bøgballe west of Horsens. All of the crew were killed.
" (FAF)
See the crash site here in 1943 and 2005.
Accounts from eye witnesses
Signe Rømer in 2008 and Hanne Jørgensen in 2011.
Photo 25 May 2011 shows the crash site behind the
Monument.

Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Gerald Albert Raymond Town was from the United Kingdom. (Source: CWGC)
He is remembered on The Walls of Names at the International Bomber Command Centre, Phase 2, P 255.    
Lynne Truex spoke on behalf of families and friends of the 3 airmen from the United Kingdom on 21 April 2013.

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.