Sergeant John Bimson was an wireless operator/air gunner on a Blenheim with 105 Squadron, operating out of Swanton Morley, Norfolk.

On the night of 28 February/1 March 1941 he and his crew took off from their base on a mission to Wilhelmshaven. His pilot was 27 year old Sgt. John S. H. Heape from Oxford. The observer was Sgt. Sylvester Jones, from Manchester.

They flew Blenheim IV T1859. The trip toward the target appears to have happened without mishap. On the way back they started to experience trouble with the starboard engine, part of which showed up red. This could be helped by turning the fuel mixture to rich.

105 Sqn RAF

At the same time, Ofw. Paul Gildner was patrolling in the box Lowe. Then the Germans caught the Blenheim on their radar and the air controller directed Gildner towards their target. Near the city of Groningen, Gildner intercepted the Blenheim. Using the Schrage Music tactic, Gildner mavouvred his plane underneath and behind the Blenheim and fired. He hit the Blenheim in both engines which started to burn. Sgt. Heape had no idea he was hit by a night fighter. As the tracers seem to come straight from the ground he thought they were hit by Flak.

The plane became uncontrollable and Heape ordered the crew to bail out. Just as he left his seat to bail out himself, a huge explosion ripped through the aircraft. Through the smoke and flames he saw that a large part of the fuselage was ripped away. Just before the explosion, he saw Sgt Jones, who appeared alright at that time. Heape got out through the hole in the fuselage and landed in a field. The next day he was captured.

Both Sgt. Bimson and Sgt Jones were killed in the explosion and crash.

All that remained of Blenheim T1859 (Nachtjagdarchiv Horst Diener, via Ab Jansen in Wespennest
Leeuwarden, vol. I, pg 114)

Sgt. Bimson is buried at the Esserveld cemetery in Groningen, Plot RP. Row Class 2. Grave 28.

(picture by Wim Bastiaanse)

Groningen, The Netherlands

See also:
Sgt. Sylvester Jones

Sources:
Ab A. Jansen, Wespennest Leeuwarden, deel I, Hollandia, Baarn 1976

Acknowledgements:
RAF Squadron crest © Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office
 

Directions to Groningen (Esserveld) Cemetery

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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