On the return leg, in the
general vicinity of Hengelo, the Netherlands, a
German night fighter approached from astern and
slightly below the Halifax. A fierce exchange of
fire followed which left the bomber damaged and
difficult to control. The order was given to bail
out. The aircraft crashed on land of Mr Olimulder,
Vriezenveenseweg at Geesteren, at 21.45 hrs.
Mr. Olimulder got out of bed,
awoken by the crash of the bomber next to his farm.
Looking out of the window he saw a large fire, which
soon died down. Coming outside he saw that the
fuselage of the plane had come down no more that
five meters from his barn. Outside he and some
people who live din the farm, found the bodies of
four crew members around the farm house. The body of
tail gunner F/S Innis was found in the tail section.
Also found in the wreckage was
a metal box with in it a live pigeon, a pencil, a
piece of elastic and a metals tube. Early the next
morning they released teh pigeon with a written
message attached. Around noon a few Allied fighter
planes circled the general area of th ecrash, making
the famers believe that the pigeon had arrived and
the message read...
At first the wreckage and
remains were guarded by two members of the Dutch
police. Later that morning the Germans came and took
over the guard duties. they left the bdies ly near
the farm for a few days. A number of local people
requested mass for the perished airmen at a local
church. The five men were finally buried at Albergen
Roman Catholic Cemetery on 3 January 1944. They were
buried by the Germans with military honours.
Only P/O Merkley and F/O
Marrion managed to survive.
P/O Merkely later wrote: "Everything
was normal from take off until we reached the Dutch
coast where port inner
boost gauge ceased to register. Everything continued
normal until over Berlin when flak holed the
aircraft, including pilots cockpit. After leaving
target controls seemed sloppy, otherwise aircraft
was okay. After using broadcast winds on the way
home we found ourselves over Hannover and were hit
again by flak, although evasive action was taken.
Continued on course given by navigator and after we
passed into Holland were attacked by fighter. Both
gunners gave the evasive action at the same time (corkscrew
starboard) but at that moment aircraft hit in
starboard inner. Proceeded with evasive action but
flames coming from engine which
immediately burst into flames and which I proceeded
to feather, turn fuel off and press fire ext.
Attempted to pull aircraft into climb at bottom of
corkscrew but controls didn’t respond.
Aircraft began to spin so I
gave order to abandon aircraft. On repeating command
second time aircraft exploded. Found myself falling
through space, minus boots, socks and helmet. My
Sutton harness was fastened all during previous
action. Weather 10/10’s cloud at approximately
10,000 feet."
P/O Merkley managed to contact
the Dutch resistance who tried to help him evade to
Spain. After moving to different hiding places, he
was finally was arrested 15th April 1944 in Antwerp.
The other survivor, F/O Marrion,
wrote: "My memory of the flight is hazy in parts.
The flight was uneventful until we reached a turning
point just north of Leipzig, when we were hit but
not noticeably damaged by flak. There
was cloud below us at the target, and we were not
attacked by fighters nor hit by flak. The wind
increased from the northwest after leaving the
target and we were blown south of track to what I
believe was the northern edge of Hannover. We were
again hit by flak, but no damage could be found to
any vital parts of the aircraft. We altered course
to get back on track, and perhaps 20 minutes later,
while approaching cold frontal area, were attacked
with cannon fire. The pilot believes one or both of
the gunners gave warning, but I cannot recollect for
certain any warning. The pilot dived steeply -
I believe to port. It is my impression that another
burst of cannon fire hit us while diving. The Gee
set faded out and the pilot said the starboard inner
was on fire. The aircraft continued to dive, and the
G increased rapidly. The pilot ordered us to abandon
aircraft. As I fixed my chute to the harness, I was
forced to the floor. My last glimpse of the
navigators’ altimeter showed, 13,000 feet I believe,
at 3 o’clock. There was no fire from our machine
guns. I squatted on the floor, struggling to raise
my hands to the hatch handle, and then suddenly
found myself outside the aircraft falling in company
with what appeared to be an aileron. There was a
glow in the clouds around me which soon faded out."
F/O Charles Peasland is buried
at Albergen Roman Catholic Cemetery, grave 5.
