Reginald
was part of the following crew:
Sgt Ronald
West Taylor, RNZAF
Sgt Reginald Frederick George Withrington
Sgt Selwyn Sparkes
On July 19
1941 the crew took off from Swanton-Morley
in Blenheim V6039, GB-Q. With four others
they were send out to attack a German
shipping off the Dutch coast. Eight motor
ships escorted by six flak ships were
sighted two miles off Scheveningen. The
Blenheims attacked the convoy that was on a
northerly course.
One Blenheim,
flown by Smithers attacked the leading
ship, hitting it and leaving it burning
fiercely. F/L Broadley left another smoking
amidships and a third was left burning by
Sgt Jackson. Sgt Farrow's four bombs hit a
4000 tonner which exploded, but moments
later his crippled Blenheim plunged into the
sea. Sgt Taylor then had a go at the same
ship, but missed and was shot down by anti
aircraft fire from a flak ship.
Upon return,
the Blenheims claimed four ships destroyed.
Three 6000 tonnes ships and one of 4000
tonnes. The 6000 tonnes ships were all hit
by two or more hits and left under thick,
black smoke. The 4000 tonnes ship was hit
amidships and also left smoking. A flak ship
was also reported attacked.
No ships were
lost however. The Germans reported an air
attack on their ships at 12.12 off
Scheveningen, with one ship damaged.
This ship was the Swedisch steamer Ruth.
In an official Swedish report, dated August
18, 1941 the following can be read regarding
the air attack on the Swedish steamer
Ruth, 4228 grt, on a voyage from
Rotterdam to Stockholm:
Time: July 19, 1941 at 1220 hours
Location: Two nautical miles of Scheveningen
Wind & weather: Light SW breeze, good
visibility
Additional information: When passing
Scheveningen the convoy was attacked by five
British aircraft which dropped bombs on the
ships in the convoy. One of the bombs hit
the steamer Ruth on the port side of the
vessel near no 4 hatch. The bomb penetrated
the ship and exploded in the cargo which
consisted of coal. The same aircraft that
had dropped the bomb collided with one of
the stays holding up the aft mast and
shattered it. The masthead was also damaged.
Hatches, tarpaulin and parts of the cargo
was blown away in the explosion. The bomb
had caused a 9 inch hole in the side a the
ship when it penetrated into the vessel.
There were no casualties.
Sgt Taylor was found on the beach of
Noordwijk on Friday, 1 August 1941 and was
buried in that town the next day.
Sgt S. Sparkes was found on the beach of
Bergen aan Zee on 28 July 1941 and was
buried in Bergen the next day.
Sgt Withrington's body washed ashore near
Katwijk and was reburied at Bergen op Zoom
after the war.
Sgt Reginald Withrington is buried in Bergen-op-Zoom
Canadian War
Cemetery, 7. AA. 12. He was
26.
(picture by
Dennis Peschier)