Vickers Wellington IC (X9635 ) crashed at Durnal (Belgium) on 1942-04-28

[jlwilmet]

Hello.

For me, this plane crashed at Durnal (currently city Yvoir), between Dinant and Ciney, in the province of Namur, Belgium.
This is a proof by the absurd, as the mathematicians say.
A plane has disappeared over Belgium and we do not know where, you say.
A plane crashed at Durnal that night and it is not known which, say the village elders.

In french,in the book of Jacques Brilot :
La nuit du 27 au 28 avril 1942, un bombardier anglais explose en plein vol, au-dessus du territoire de Durnal, "al taye des loves" (lieu dit). Harcelé par des chasseurs allemands, l'avion (vide), revenu de l'est, surgit en une boule de feu éclairant le village comme en plein jour. Les débris ont été dispersés de "la Briqueterie" aux carrières des "Pirettes" et les corps des 6 soldats emportés par les Allemands. Bravant l'occupant, le curé Godefroid a célébré une messe de requiem à leur intention le 23 septembre (catafalque vide)."
In english, this book of Jacques Brilot :
On the night of April 27th to 28th, 1942, an English bomber explodes in flight, over the territory of Durnal, "al taye des loves" (place). Harassed by German fighter planes, the (empty) plane, coming from the east, emerged into a ball of fire lighting up the village as in daylight. The debris was scattered from the "Briqueterie" to the quarries of the "Pirettes" and the bodies of the 6 soldiers carried by the Germans. Braving the occupier, the priest Godefroid celebrated a mass of requiem for them on September 23 (empty catafalque). "

Their mission was not Cologne in Germany as the majority of the aircraft of that night.
As say internet :
Wellington Ic X9635 of 27 OTU failed to return from a leaflet raid to Lille. The crew are buried at Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium.
Vickers Wellington IC (X9635 ) on a mission to Germany on 1942-04-28 - The 27 OTU Unit left from Lichfield at 1942-04-28 at 21:58. Loc or duty Nickel

The same night:
Wellington Ic Z8901 -V of 27 OTU failed to return from a leaflet raid to Lille. Crashed at Sautour (Namur), 3km SSE Philippeville, Belgium. The crew are buried at Charleroi.
Vickers Wellington IC (Z8901 -V) on a mission to Germany on 1942-04-28 - The 27 OTU Unit left from Lichfield at 1942-04-28 at 22:41. Loc or duty Nickel

Differences :
There were not six bodies but five since the pilot was able to escape (He died in a following mission in Antwerp.).
They come not from Cologne but from Lille (but that was Top Secret)
The crew was not only English or with Canadians but Australians (this was new and pre-printed papers with Canada are manually corrected) from New South Wales.

I was assured that the three planes fallen somewhere in Germany fell near Cologne and this plane was not among them.

Two planes returning from Germany fell at Villers-la-Ville and at Hamois. Two planes returning from Lille fell at Sautour and probably at Durnal.
The crews fallen to the west of the line Brussels-Namur-Dinant (Villers-la-Ville and Sautour) are buried in Charleroi.
The crews fallen to the east of the line Namur-Dinant (Hamois and probably Durnal) were buried in Sint-Truiden and later in Heverlee.

Here is the state of my research. Do you have any other explanations?

Have a good day.

Jean-Luc.

[bruce dennis]

Hello Jean-Luc and welcome to the forum. I have moved your post to the General forum where it will get more attention.

Good luck with your research.

Regards,
Bruce

[jossleclercq]

hello

you should access the "casualty files" (A705) of the R.A.A.F. members of the crew of X9635 on the site of the National Archives of Australia

Laurence Guy CHICK 403652
Maurice Ben REMFRY 402672
Albert John GLAISTER 411220

Not sure the link will last long : https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear....aspx?B=673375

otherwise you go at the main page, then click on "search the collection" and type surname and service number to access the file.

Good luck

Joss

[Alain12]

Hello ,

I have this :

28/04/1942
Durnal - Hamoir
Wellington IC
Fw Fritz Schellwat / Uffz Willmann 5./NJG 1 02.14 hrs
Nickel ( Leaflets )
X-9635 27OTU Lichfield

F/O Chick Laurence.G. RAAF (KIA) 403652
Sgt Remfry Maurice.B. RAAF(KIA) 402672
Sgt Dodd Frederic.J. (KIA) gunner 1310824
Stukins John.R. (KIA) wop 911756
Sgt Glaister Albert.J. RAAF (KIA) 411220
Heverlee war cemetery , first St-Truiden

Chick 03/08/1913 singleton NSW
Remfry 06/05/1919 Sydney
Glaister 20/12/1917 West Wallsend NSW
Airborne 2158 uur


Regards
Alain12

[jlwilmet]

Hello, Alain.
Extraordinary. This is the first time I see the name Durnal associated with the plane I had found.
Do you have a copy of the document or a site address with that official background information?
My address is j-l.w@live.be, possibly.
I suppose the plane was shot down above Hamoir by the crew Fw Fritz Schellwat / Uffz Willmann at 02.14 hr
Thank you for this confirmation of my research.

Jean-Luc.

[jlwilmet]

Hello, Joss.
Thank you, it works well and the documents give some information about their life (profession, size, weight ...), telegrams exchanged with the family ...
Thank you very much for this information.

Jean-Luc.

[jlwilmet]

Thanks, Bruce
I was trying to put my request in the right place ...
The answers already received help me to clarify my problem.
Thank you for your site and your welcome.

[Alain12]

Hello ,

I found as " possible crashsites Durnal-Hamoir " in my files. According to the book Nachtjagd War Diaries by Dr Theo Boiten page 84 Fw Fritz Schelwatt claimed a Wellington , probably Z8901 24 km north west of Namur.One thing is sure the crew off Z-9801 was buried at S-Trond airfield ( St-Truiden ).

Regards
Alain12

[Alain12]

Hello ,

Sorry i made a mistake , the crew off X-9635 was buried at St-Trond , the crew off Z-8901 was buried at Charleroi.

Alain12

[jlwilmet]

Thank you, Alain.
Not sure 100 percent, alas ...

Yes, graves in St-Truiden at 30 april 1944 but Heverlee since 1947.

Z8901 crashed at Sautour

At HamoiS : crash of Handley-Page Halifax BII W7653 DY-A 27-28/04/1942
http://www.luchtvaarterfgoed.be/cont...ax-ii-w7653-dy
http://www.rememberjd371.be/hamois.htm

At HamoiR : I don't see anything...

https://books.google.be/books?id=_AP...ellwat&f=false
says
27-28 April 1942
4./NJG1 Oblt Hubert Rauh Wellington Montplaisir 00.37 4800 1 W
StII/NJG3 Hptm Günther Radusch Stirling Romo 01.05 3 W
E./NJG Hptm Herbert Bônsch Boston 01.16 7 W
5./NJG1 Fw Frilz Schellwat Wellington 24km NW Namur 02.14 1 W -> z8901 and then not x9635 ???
E./NJG2 Hptm Herbert Bônsch Wellington 02.15 8 W

Thanks for any help.

Jean-Luc