Crashsite Halifax DT-804

The Halifax DT-804 monument in Zoutleeuw commemorates a British bomber that crashed during the night of May 29 to 30, 1943. The aircraft was a Handley Page Halifax II from the 35th Squadron of the Royal Air Force. The crew took part in a mission to Wuppertal, Germany, where industrial targets were to be bombed.

During the return flight, the plane was intercepted by a German night fighter, piloted by Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer. Around a quarter to two in the morning, the aircraft was hit, caught fire, and crashed in a field along the Durasweg near Zoutleeuw.

There were seven crew members on board:

* Pilot Officer Ronald Hoos, 25 years old, pilot, from Liverpool
* Sergeant Ernest Bell, 25 years old, flight engineer, from Belfast
* Flying Officer John Gerard Kennedy, 22 years old, navigator, from Manchester
* Sergeant Ronald William Hodge, 20 years old, bomb aimer, from Cheshire
* Sergeant Alexander Tannock, 20 years old, mid-upper gunner, from Paisley
* Sergeant Alexander Munro Taylor, 22 years old, rear gunner, from Lossiemouth
* Flight Sergeant John (Jack) Davidson, about 32 years old, wireless operator, from Glasgow

Only John Davidson survived the crash. He managed to parachute out of the plane, was injured, and taken prisoner by the Germans. The other six crew members were killed and later buried at Heverlee War Cemetery.

The monument in Zoutleeuw was erected to honor this crew and keep their story alive. It stands on Durasweg, near the spot where the aircraft went down. It was unveiled in 2025 as the result of local efforts and research by residents who reconstructed the crash and wanted to preserve the names of the crew for future generations.

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Source

• Text: RJArmy.nl
• Photos: RJArmy.nl