Soryy for my approximate English but I'm living in Belgium and it's difficult for me to speak and write your language. I hope you'll understand my request. I'm not a full time writer but I'm writing a little book on an airplane crashed the 18 december 1944 near the town where I'm living. It was the Halifax NP934 MH-V of the 51 squadron who took off from Snaith at 02.58 to ops to Duisburg. It crashed into a wood died all the crew. Flight Ofiicer Edgar Harold Baron, Flight Officer Bernard Mark Twilley, Sergeant Richard Holden, Flight sergeant Hugh Brenton Jones, Flight Officer Carl Winston Cassini, Flight Sergeant Roberts Hall, Warrant Officer William Harold Hildebrand and Sergeant Roy Chalinor Hitchen are burried to Leopolsburg Commonwealth Cemetery. This crew crashed a first time the 18 september 1944 with the Halifax LV865. I have a lot of request.
Is it possible to find people or family people who flew between 18 september and 18 december 1944 in the 51 squadron ??
Perhaps to find friend of the crew of NP934 ??
More information about the raid to Duisburg 14 october and 18 december ??
I hope to hear from some people who have something to tell, it's important for my information.
Dear Eddy, I checked on LV865 and this aircraft was badly damaged on take-off as it swung off the runway and hit a building.
I have included the following address of the 51 Squadron association which you can contact for more information on this crew and family contacts:
For Application Forms, or any more information on the 51 Sqn Association, please contact the Membership Secretary:
Squadron Leader Chris Bond
chrisb@postmaster.co.uk
or the Secretary/Treasurer
Sqn Ldr Phil Mason
26 Aversley Rd
Sawtry
Huntingdon
CAMBS
Tel: 001 44 1487-831488
Cheers, Karl Kj.
P.S. I was Project Manager for the recovery of RCAF Halifax LW687 from the Gerardsbergen swamp in 1997, working with the historic group at BAHA. Salute to my friends in Belgium.
i was wondering if you could help me with any infomation regarding my grandfather. He served with 51 squadron at snaith under a f/o H f Bieby as rear gunner and/or mid upper gunner 41 to 45. He died five years ago and i now have a two year old son and want to pass on something tangible to the next generation. There is some legends in the family but its all a bit confused.
I read with great interest your message. I understand you wish to give something tangible to your son, it's my wish too. It's not easy for me to find more information about 51 squadron and about the Halifax NP934 who interest me. How can I help you ?? Perhaps can you help me too ?? Perhaps have you got information or photos about 51 squadron ?? Can you tell me more about your family and about Ronnie WHITTAKER, I wish to know a little bit more ??
I sincerelly hope to hear from you soon, perhaps can you send me directly an email. My adress is daivier.eddy@laposte.net.
Whilst reading your message on 51 squadron I notice that you mention Halifax LW209 RCAF which crashed on 18th December 1944 over Duisburg. I am researching the death of my uncle John Isaac Hoyle RAFVR who died with one other RCAF crew member F/O Fox. Do you have any information of this aircraft or the crew please.
LW209 Halifax Bomber OW- 426 sqd RCAF and and wonder
February 19 2007, 9:22 PM
Dear Eddy
I am researching my late uncle F/S (Po) John Isaac Hoyle RAFVR who was flying with Canadian crew RCAF on the morning of 18th December 1944 over Duisberg. The aircraft crashed over the target and very little is known as to what happened. My research found that the aircraft was hit by flack and my uncle John & one other crewmewmber F/O Fox were killed although my uncle John was listed as missing for some considerable time. He is now buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetary together with F/O Fox.
I am interested in that you are looking for information of another aircraft that crashed on the same date and wondered if you had any information on aircraft LW209 or your book would be interesting to me.
I am the sister of Hugh Brenton Jones, a crew member on the NP934.
I was only 4 years old at the time and would like to know more information about the crash.
Can you tell me exactly where in Belgium the plane crashed. I know that my brother is buried in Leopolsburg Commonwealth Cemetery which I visited some years ago.
NP 934 crashed into a wood south of Charleroi, Belgium. The crew were initially buried in les Fossess US Military Cemetery before being taken to Leopoldsburg after the war.
Do you have any further information about NP934 and my brother, Hugh Brenton Jones.
I have been told that 4 aircraft were involved in the crash. Probably a collision between
434, 10, 432 and 51 squadrons.
I am assuming that the 'collision' theory comes about because crews from four aircraft are all currently at Leopoldsburg and 3 of the four were previously buried at les Fosses.
The contender aircraft are
Halifax III LV818 10 Sqn
Halifax III NP934 51 Sqn
Halifax VII NP699 432 Sqn
Halifax IIINR118 434 Sqn
No cause of loss for any of these aircraft is indicated by WR Chorley in his series of excellent Bomber Command Losses books.
However the American connection exists for all four - bodies appear to have been recovered by an American Investigation Team.
There were only 2 survivors from these crews - the pilot of the 432 Sqn aircraft (F/O. M. Krakovsky RCAF) and the wireless operator of the 434 Sqn aircraft (P/O. H. Brown RCAF).
Your best bet therefore is to try to contact one of them (not easy - certainly for Brown). I did a search on the Canada 411 site and the link below shows 2 possibilities
It was normal practice for investigation teams to centralise remains - this does not necessarily indicate that they were in any way connected. The remains would be recovered from where they were initially buried, either by locals or the Germans and brought to a central point for recording etc
I regret I can offer no further insight into these losses but hope this helps
My name is Leslie Green, Mothers cousin Harry Pearce was killed December 18th 1944 i have a lot of information relating to Hugh Brenton Jones 18 years old of 51 sqdrn if you would be so kind as to email me your telephone number i have much to tell you