Ralph B. Abraham                                                                                 Updated: 23 MAR 2021

Airman: o888252.htm Surname: Abraham Init: R B Rank: S/Ldr Service: RAF Sqdn: 12

P_link: p059.htm Plane: WEL Z8410 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Neder Holluf

Crash_d: d260242 Buried_d: o888 C_link: o888.htm At_Next: POW

 Den 26. februar 1942 styrtede WEL Z8410 ned her nær gangstien syd for Klokkens Kvarter 165, 5220 Odense SØ. Flyverne blev ført til Tyske krigsfangelejre.
Se Google Map p059 Wellington Z8410 med nedstyrtningsstedet og flyvernes ruter fundet af Torben Odgaard Christensen.
Se Flystyrt i Holluf Pile af Erik Jensen med mange detaljer om flyet og de 6 flyvere. p059MACR nævner tyskernes fund i flyvraget.

På vej mod bombemålet Kiel blev flyet ramt af flak over Esbjerg. Propellen på styrbords motor måtte kantstilles for at yde mindre luftmodstand. Bomberne blev kastet
over Fyn for at vinde højde, og piloten lod besætningen springe med faldskærm. Alle 6 besætningsmedlemmer blev taget til fange ret snart efter deres landing.
Kilde: FT 85-75-2. På dette tidspunkt i krigen blev ingen allierede flyvere hjulpet til Sverige! Donald V. Smith blev Første flyver til Sverige i maj 1943.

"S/L R.B.Abraham blev interneret i lejrene 6B Dössel / 21B Szubin / L3 Sagan. Han ændrede sit navn til Ward i februar 1949.
Sgt G.R.Duckham i lejrene 7A Moosburg / 383 Hohenfels / L7 Bankau. P/O E.N.Foinette i 6B Dössel / 21B Szubin / L3 Sagan.
WO2 E.E.Littlefield i  8B Lamsdorf / 344 Lamsdorf / 4B Mühlberg. Sgt C.F.Payne i Camps 8B Lamsdorf / 344 Lamsdorf / L3 Sagan / 357 Thorn-Fallingbostel.
W/O D.R.W.Wardill i 8B Lamsdorf / 344 Lamsdorf / L6 Heydekrug / 357 Thorn-Fallingbostel." (Lost Bombers)

6 flyvere. 

On 26 February 1942 WEL Z8410 crashed here near the footpath south of Klokkens Kvarter 165, 5220 Odense SØ. The airmen were taken to German POW-Camps.
See Google Map p059 Wellington Z8410 with the crash site and the airmen's routes found by Torben Odgaard Christensen.
See Air Crash in Holluf Pile by Erik Jensen with many details about the plane and the 6 airmen. p059MACR mentions German finds in the wreckage of the plane.
On the outward flight to a bombing raid on Kiel this plane was hit by flak over Esbjerg. The propeller of the starboard engine had to be feathered to reduce air resistance. The bombs were dropped over Fyn to gain altitude and the pilot let the crew bail out. All 6 crew members were taken captive rather soon after they had landed. (Source: FT 85-75-2.) At this time of the war no allied airmen were helped to reach Sweden. Donald V. Smith became the First Airman to Sweden in May 1943.

"S/L R.B.Abraham was interned in Camps 6B Dössel / 21B Szubin / L3 Sagan. He changed his name to Ward in February 1949.
Sgt G.R.Duckham in Camps 7A Moosburg / 383 Hohenfels / L7 Bankau. P/O E.N.Foinette in Camps 6B Dössel / 21B Szubin / L3 Sagan.
WO2 E.E.Littlefield in Camps 8B Lamsdorf / 344 Lamsdorf / 4B Mühlberg. Sgt C.F.Payne in Camps 8B Lamsdorf / 344 Lamsdorf / L3 Sagan / 357Fallingbostel.
W/O D.R.W.Wardill in Camps 8B Lamsdorf / 344 Lamsdorf / L6 Heydekrug / 357Fallingbostel." (Lost Bombers)

See No. 12 Squadron RAF (Wikipedia) and  12 Squadron RAF at RAF-Lincolnshire.info. Also Wellington  (bomb bay)
Wellington  II Z8410 PH- took off from RAF Binbrook at 23.30 hrs on 25 FEB 1942. (Source: Aircrew Remembered has this.) 6 airmen.