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Cycling route Death Valley De Peel - The fate of the BJ-603 (#1)

The fate of the BJ-603

After the Germans bombed British cities at the beginning of the Second World War, the Allies sent many thousands of bombers to Germany to attack all kinds of targets there. The Germans developed effective anti-aircraft defense with Flugzeugabwehr guns (Flak) and fighter planes that eventually radar to detect and shoot down enemy bombers.
On the night of August 11 to 12, 1942, the Brite Vickers-Wellington III BJ-603 was hit around 3:00 am. This bomber from the 156 Squadron (home base at Alconbury) had bombed Mainz together with 158 other aircraft. The twin-engine aircraft crashed in the Lieropse Leeuweriksbos, 7 kilometers south of Helmond.
32-year-old pilot Charles Frederick Taylor was killed, as were his four crew members. These were observer sergeant Robert William Moss (23), radio operator sergeant Donald Emslie Murray (22, South Africa) and gunner John Alister Pearl (22).
The victims were buried in Woensel.

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Source

  • Text: TracesOfWar
  • Photos: Martin Damen