History
By: Ed IJsbrandij
On November 8, 1941 at 17:15 three Handley Page Hampden bombers from the RAF 49 squadron left from the UK RAF basis Scampton to eliminate spotlight installations in the surroundings of the German industrial town Essen.
These so-called “ Intruder” mission prepared a large attack by the Bomber Command later that evening. Two Hampdens returned to Scampton, a third, the Hampden EA-K with serial number P1206 was called “failed to return”. The plane was intercepted by a German night figther flown by Feldwebel Siegfried Ney
Feldwebel Siegfried Ny. (01-04-1918 † 29-03-1943) poses next to the tail of his Messerschmidt Me110 night fighter R4 + AN Wnr 3376 5./NJG2. ON November 8, 1941 he shot Hampden P1206 near Berkhout. On his tail you can find 10 victory marks. The 11th victory attempt was fatal for him. The plane, also a Hampden, exploded in the air and pulled the ME110 with Feldwebel Ney and his wireless operator Uffz. Jozef Bühler with him into death.
The P1206 crashed a few moments later near Berkhout, Noord Holland. The four members of the crew died.
The route of Hampden P1206 AE-K on its way to the basis in the UK, The plane left around 17:15 from Scampton with as a target Essen in Germany, to eliminate spotlight installations. It crashed just after 21:00 after being intercepted and shot by a German night figther.
Two crew members could be identified. Their remainings were transported to the general graveyard in Bergen. One was the pilot of the plane; Warrant Officer Christopher Saunders DFM and the second was Pilot/navigator Sergeant James D’Arcy.
Warrant Officer Christopher Saunders DFM. Pilot of the Hampden P1206 EA-K
Pilot-Navigator Sgt. James D’Arcy. ( Photo by Mrs. Wendon )
Both wireless operators / sharpshooters Sergeant John Kehoe en Sergeant Stanley Mullenger were not found or identified and were declared missing. The plane crashed around 21:00 on a meadow next to the Westeinder near to the house of the Shilder family at nr. 315. With the impact, the Hampden disappeared for a large part into the soft ground. German guards placed a wooden cross with the following text:
“Hier ruhen unbekannte Engelsche Flieger Besatzung eine um 8.11.1941 abgeschossenen Engelsche Machine “Hampden”.
Der Besatzung Garnizoen “
Sgt. John Kehoe Sgt. Stanley Mullenger
Jan Wonder was 17 years old when the Hampden crashed in Berkhout. The next morning he was allowed to inspect the cattle with his father and neighbor Schilder. They were escorted by a German guard. The situation on the land left a deep impression on the ones present. After the war, Wonder replaced the wooden cross the Germans posed. He wrote, after the liberation, with Sgt. Mullengers sister and Sgt. Kehoe’s father. Jan Wonder took the initiative for a new concrete monument in 1983 on the Schilder land. Unfortunately he was not able to trace any remaining relatives of the Hampden crew at that time. Jan Wonder died in November 2003 and left all his letters and notes to Dick Schilder.
After the war this wooden cross is replaced by another wooden cross. Initiative came from Jan Wonder, a neighbor of the Schilder family, who was very concerned for the Hampden crew. Wonder was part of the Dutch resistance and wrote after the war to the families of both missing gunman. In 1983 a new concrete cross was placed and attempts were made to contact remaining relatives, without success. Jan Wonder died in November 2003 and left all his letters and notes to Dick Shilder, at present owner of the land with his brother Loek Schilder.
The cross at Westeinde in Berkhout is an initiative of Jan Wonder. The community Wester Koggenland took care of the monument with the names of both missing gunman.