Thomas J. Verran                                                                                  Updated:  03 JAN 2012

Airman: o888168.htm Surname: Verran Init: T J Rank: F/O Service: USAAF Sqdn: 715

P_link: p306.htm Plane: B24 41-29479 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Near Poulsker

Crash_d: d290444 Buried_d: o888 C_link: o888.htm At_Next: POW

B24 41-29479 "Gypsy Moth" var den 29. april 1944 med start fra basen Seething på bombetogt til Berlin. (Kilde: FT 87-93-6)
Flyet styrtede ned her ved Jomfrugård, Strandmarksvejen 7, 3730 Nexø omkring 2 km syd for Poulsker. (Kilde: Niels Christian Pihl)

"Under indflyvningen til målet blev flyet ramt af flak, og bombelugerne kunne ikke åbnes ved hjælp af automatik. Med håndkraft blev de dog åbnet og med noget besvær blev bombelasten derefter kastet. Efter passage af Berlin fik flyet alvorlige motorproblemer, og ud over Østersøen fløj man på kun en motor. Piloten gav derfor ordre til at forlade flyet, så snart man var inde over land igen. Over Poulsker (omkring her) sprang den første mand fra 3400 fods højde (1000 m) og den sidste, piloten, sprang i 2400 fods højde (700 m). (Ved denne flyver ses kun hans historie. Se resten ved B24 41-29479.)

På Boesgård (her) lå Co-Pilot F/O Thomas Verran, der var landet i et træ (her) og havde slået lænd og sæde. En undersøgelse viste dog, at han ikke havde noget benbrud, og kort efter var han haltende på vej til Bølshavn. Ved ankomsten til Bølshavn var han imidlertid så forpint, at han bad nogle af beboerne om at ringe efter tyskerne." (FT 87-93-6) 10 flyvere.

Starting from Seething Airfield on 29 April 1944 B24 41-29479 "Gypsy Moth" was on a bombing raid to Berlin. (Source: FT 87-93-6)
The plane crashed here at Jomfrugård, Strandmarksvejen 7, DK-3730 Nexø about 2 km south of Poulsker. (Source: Niels Christian Pihl)

"The plane was hit by flak on its approach to target, and the bomb hatches could not be opened automatically. However, they were opened by hand and then the bomb load was dropped with some difficulty. Having passed Berlin the plane had serious engine problems, and over the Baltic Sea only one engine worked. The pilot ordered that the plane was to be abandoned as soon as they were over land again. The first man bailed out over Poulsker (about here) at an altitude of 3400 feet and the last, the pilot, bailed out at an altitude of 2400 feet. (At this airman you only read the story of him and his companion. See the others at B24 41-29479).

On Boesgård (here) lay Co-Pilot F/O Thomas Verran, who had landed in a tree (here) and had hurt his loin and buttocks. An examination showed, however, that he had no fracture of his leg, and shortly after he was limping towards Bølshavn. On his arrival at Bølshavn he was so racked with pain that he asked some of the residents to call the Germans." (FT 87-93-6)

This B-24H Liberator belonged to 715th Bombardment Squadron, 448th Bombardment Group, (Heavy) 8th Air Force. See 8th Air Force in World War II. 10 airmen.