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| Date: | Sunday 3 May 1942 |
| Time: | 04:15 |
| Type: | Avro Manchester Mk I |
| Owner/operator: | 106 Sqn RAF |
| Registration: | L7399 |
| MSN: | ZN-X |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 7 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Lilholt, Vojens, Syddanmark -
 Denmark
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire |
Avro Manchester L7399 "ZN-X" of 106 Sqaudron: lost on combat operations on night of 3/3 May 1942. The crew left RAF Coningsby at 22:25 LT on May 2 on a "Gardening" (mine laying) sortie in Kiel Bay. Hit by flak, further to the east, L7399 tried to crash-land near Lilholt, 14 km west of Haderslav, Denmark. It crashed in a field belonging to farmer Oluf Peterson. Wreckage was spread over 500 metres.
The wreck, which had broken in two, was still on fire when Danish police arrived. It was first believed that the crew had left the aircraft by parachute, but when the wreck was investigated five crew-members were found to in the front section.
At a nearby farmhouse belonging to the farmer, two members of the crew, Sgt Kendall and Sgt Hanks, were found. Doctor Nybro from Vojens was treating some minor injuries sustained during landing. They were taken to the police station in Haderslev where they gave their names and those of the other crew. The German Wehrmacht was informed and they were collected by Unteroffizier Birkenhauer who took them to Haderslev barracks. Five crew members were killed while two others survived.
Crew:
Pilot : F/Sgt William Lewis Johnston Young RAFVR 1058075 [Killed]
2nd Pilot : Sgt Graham Wale RAFVR 1230768 [Killed]
Observer : W/O Alexander Collingwood Bryce RAF 580709 [Killed]
Wireless Operator / Air Gunner : Sgt Richard George Davies RAFVR 921577 [Killed]
Rear Gunner : Sgt Henry Maclean RAFVR 1388402 [Killed]
Sgt Albert Edward Hanks RAF 626952 [PoW]
Sgt Harold Kendall RAF 1005933 [PoW]
The crew fatalities were buried in Aabenraa on May 6, 1942 at. 6.30; Sgt A.E.Hanks was detained in camps L3 Sagan, L6 Heydekrug and 357 Thorn/Fallingbostel with Sgt H.Kendall. In the airframe, there were 2 live pigeons that were handed over to the intelligence service in Kolding.
A memorial stone has been erected at the crash site in the northern part of the current Skrydstrup air station
Sources:
1. http://www.flensted.eu.com/194215.shtml
2. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-avro-679-manchester-i-lilholt-5-killed
3. http://www.sonsofdamien.co.uk/Man-Lanc%20serials.htm#L7276
4. https://www.facebook.com/InternationalBomberCommandCentre/posts/may-1942/1174048429314065/
5. https://www.airmen.dk/p071.htm
6. http://ribewiki.dk/da/RAF-flyulykke_under_2._verdenskrig#3._maj_1942_Lilholt_ved_Skrydstrup
7. Nachtjagd Combat Archive The Early Years part two
8. Google Maps
9. http://www.flensted.eu.com/194200.shtml
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Dec-2017 15:29 | Red Dragon | Added |
| 19-May-2019 20:34 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, Plane category, ] |
| 22-May-2019 06:34 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator, ] |
| 30-Apr-2022 12:30 | TigerTimon | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Source, ] |
| 01-May-2024 17:26 | Rob Davis | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Aug-2024 11:56 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Source, Narrative, Operator, ] |
| 21-Aug-2024 11:57 | Nepa | Updated [Narrative, Operator, ] |
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