Date: 1940 Jul 25/26 A/C Type: Wellington IC SN: R3235 Code: AA- A/C Nickname:
 File: 189  Airforce: RAF Sqn/Unit: 75 Sqn Mission/Raid: Kassel
1 Pilot F/O William H. Coleman        New Zealand 9    
2 Navigator P/O Frank T. Poole 10    
3 WO/AG Sgt. Norman W. Brown 11    
4 Bomb aimer Sgt. John Dowds 12    
5 F/Engineer Sgt. William E. Nevill 13    
6 Tail gunner Sgt. W. Annan                         New Zealand 14    
7     15    
8     16                    

Made a hard belly landing in Lake IJsselmeer (Old Zuyder Sea), 100m off shore of Uitdam.
Crew jumped out just before, all drowned (KIA). First Wellington (of many) crashed in the Zuyder Sea during WW2.
 


The men washed ashore/fished-up and were recovered on different dates, buried Amsterdam.

There is a photo of this Wellington laying in front of the Uitdam-dike, half under water.

Sgt. Brown was the first Allied airman (fished up in the trawl net) and brought in Volendam harbour.
Full story and interview with an eye-witness on board the boat follows later. 





© ZZairwar (Zuyder Zee Air War)