6 Group Unavailable
Failed to Return, Gardening ops,believed crashed near Esbjerg, Denmark, 9.1.43
Claim by Gunther Rogge 12/NJG3 - Near Tarp 7km North of Esbjerg airfield at 18:26. Note: Coned by searchlights and also claimed by 2/M Flak Abt 204 and 2/lei Flak Abt 742 (Halifax 7km North of Esbjerg airfield 18:25) Claim by Lt Rogge not listed in OKL/RLM 12/NJG3. Confirmed Abschussubersicht rejected and victory credited to Flak on 12 March 1943. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive 1943 Part 1 - Theo Boiten.
On its way to the target W7751 was hit by flak from 2.lei.Flakabt. 742 near Esbjerg and crashed at 18:26 hours at Bryndum killing six of the crew. They were Air Bomber Sergeant Ian K. Crawford RAFVR, Air Gnr. Sergeant Herbert I. Goodwill RAFVR, Pilot Sergeant Joseph E.R. Lavigne RCAF, Navigator/Bomber Sergeant Peter F.E. Newman RAFVR, Wireless operator SGT Douglas Mann RCAF and Pilot Flight Sergeant Roger Owen RAFVR. They were laid to rest in Fovrfelt cemetery, Esbjerg on 14/1-1943.
The rear gunner Sergeant Peter Skinner was nearly unhurt while Flt.Engr. Sergeant Sidney Llewellyn was badly hurt. They were both taken to Esbjerg hospital by taxi driver Jacob Nielsen. In the car was also a German officer who sat pointing his pistol at the flyers. Llewellyn died from his wounds on 15/1 and was laid to rest in Fovrfelt cemetery on 19/1-1943
Skinner was taken to Dulag Luft in Oberursel near Frankfurt for interrogation. When this had finished he was sent to Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf where he stayed until January 1945 when the prisoners were sent on a march to the west away from the advancing Russian troops. In April they reached the area of Magdeburg and on 11/4 Skinner and three comrades managed to get away from the marching column and hid in a barn. Three days later American troops arrived and on 16/4 Skinner returned to England. Source "Air War Over DenmarK",http://www.flensted.eu.com/19430002.shtml
