Maurice C. Huggett                                                                                      Updated: 10 JUN 2022

Airman: o888137.htm Surname: Huggett Init: M C Rank: Sgt Service: RAF Sqdn: 10

P_link: p166.htm Plane: STI BF476 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Kragelund Fælled

Crash_d: d210443 Buried_d: o888 C_link: o888.htm At_Next: POW

Den 21. april 1943 på hjemvejen fra et bombetogt til Rostock blev STI BF476 ramt og så alvorligt beskadiget, at F/Lt (Pilot) Charles S. Lyons valgte at lave
en mavelanding kl. 02.46 nær Kristen Hansens gård Fælledvej 27, Kragelund Fælled, 8723 Løsning, her hvor der siden er opført en ny landbrugsbygning, overblik her.
Se Fotos fra nedstyrtningsstedet og Flere fotos - fra Vejle Stadsarkiv. Det er 1050 m syd for Mindestenen rejst her for flyet ved Bøgballe STI BF506.

"Haletårnet med haleskytten blev revet af ved mavelandingen, og haleskytte Sgt M.C. Huggett fik beskadiget den ene fod. Enkelte beboere ilede til hjælp, og købmand
Jens Christensen hjalp den humpende haleskytte ind til Kristen Hansen. Læge Bense fra Løsning blev tilkaldt.
Resten af besætningen blev ude ved flyet, hvor de drak deres medbragte te og spiste sandwiches. Derpå skød de ind i motorerne, som brød i brand. - Læge Bense
ankom og tilså den sårede og en ambulance blev tilkaldt, og den bragte M.C. Huggett til Vejle Sygehus. - Radiooperatøren Sgt R.P. Howland (såret i den ene fod og
med et brandsår i ansigtet) opgav hurtigt flugten, og han endte med at spise morgenmad hos læge Bense i Løsning. Desværre var for mange blev kendt med hans tilstedeværelse, så efter æggene og baconen blev tyskerne tilkaldt. -

Det lykkedes de fem øvrige flyvere at gå 15 km mod nord ad Bygholm Å. Undervejs delte de gavmildt ud af tyggegummi og chokolade. Om formiddagen den 22. april
blev de opdaget i en lade mellem Vinten og Vinten Skov (måske omkring her) og politiet i Horsens blev tilkaldt." (FT 90-48-11)

Om eftermiddagen blev flyverne overgivet til tyskere fra Rye Flyveplads som var her. (Kilde: AOD) De blev sendt til Tyske krigsfangelejre.
Hipwell til 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel, Howland til 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel, Huggett til L6 Heydekrug, Lockwood til L3 Sagan, Lyons til L3 Sagan, Marshall til
L6 Heydekrug og Shaw til 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel. (Kilde: Air Force PoWs 1939 to 1945.)
Se også Kostbar gave på Hitlers fødselsdag - Horsens Folkeblad den 20. april 1988 og Stettin + Rostock 20 - 21 April 1943. 7 flyvere.

On 21 April 1943 on the return flight from a bombing raid on Rostock  STI BF476 was hit and so severely damaged that F/Lt (Pilot) Charles S. Lyons had to
make a wheels up landing near Kristen Hansen´s farm Fælledvej 27, Kragelund Fælled, 8723 Løsning here where a new farm building was built later, overview here.
See Photos from the crash site and More photos - from the Vejle Stadsarkiv. It is 1050 m south of the Memorial erected here to the crew of STI BF506 near Bøgballe.

"The rear turret with the rear gunner was torn off at the crash landing, and Sergeant (Tail Gunner) M.C. Huggett´s foot was wounded. Some residents hurried to
assistance, and grocer Jens Christensen helped the limping airman to Kristen Hansen´s house. Doctor Bense from Løsning was called. The rest of the crew stayed
at the plane, where they had tea and sandwiches, which they had brought along. Then they shot into the engines, which caught fire. - Doctor Bense arrived and
attended the wounded airman and an ambulance was called. It took M.C. Huggett to hospital in Vejle. - Sergeant (Wireless Operator) R.P. Howland (wounded in a foot
and with a burn on his face) was quick to give up his evasion and he ended up at the breakfast table of Doctor Bense in Løsning. Unfortunately too many knew about
his presence, so the Germans were called after bacon and eggs.

The 5 other airmen managed to walk 15 km to the north along Bygholm Stream. On their way they generously distributed  chewing gum and chocolate. Before noon
on 22 April they were discovered in a barn between Vinten and Vinten Forest (maybe about here) and the police in Horsens were called." (FT 90-48-11)

In the afternoon the airmen were handed over to Germans from Rye Airfield, which was here. (Source: AOD) They were taken to German POW-Camps.
Hipwell to 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel, Howland to 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel, Huggett to L6 Heydekrug, Lockwood to L3 Sagan, Lyons to L3 Sagan, Marshall to
L6 Heydekrug and Shaw to 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel. (Source: Air Force PoWs 1939 to 1945.)

See also Expensive present on Hitler's birthday - Horsens Folkeblad on 20 April 1988 and Stettin + Rostock 20 - 21 April 1943.
See No. 10 Squadron RAF * RAF 10 Squadron Association * Short Stirling
Stirling III BF476 LS-P took off from RAF Mildenhall at 22:30 on 20 APR 1943. (Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.)   7 airmen.