1940-1945. The resistance in the dutch province of Limburg

Royal Air Force

Allied soldiers

← Flag of the RAF
British aircraft crews.No British ground troops were involved in the liberation of our region. However, three Royal Air Force planes did crash around Valkenburg. These included people from the British Commonwealth.

1. 8 July 1941, Houthem, between Putweg and Curfsweg. [1.1]
   Hampden AD937
   61 Sqn RAF, air base Hemswell.
   The aircraft was on a bombing mission on Mönchengladbach when it was hit by German fighter pilot Lieutenant R. Knacke I./NJG1) and crashed between Houthem and Meerssen. Three crew members, were killed in the crash, the first pilot, J.G.N. Braithwaite, survived wounded and became a prisoner of war. [2]
2. 29 June 1943, Halifax II JB907, Valkenburg
   Halifax II (Serial No: JB907), 78 Sqdn, RAF. Crashed at 01:25 near Chaloen Castle in Valkenburg after a mission to Cologne.
   Near that site today stands the Halifax crash.Halifax crash memorial. [1.2]
   According to William R. Chorley, it was probably shot down by a German night fighter. Flak (anti-aircraft guns) from batteries near Aachen are also mentioned as a possible cause for the crash of this Halifax. All eight crew members died and were buried in the Maastricht General Cemetery. [3]
3. January 1, 1945, Zwaluwstraat, Vilt (Berg & Terblijt) [1.3]
   De Avro 683 Lancaster started from RAF Mepal at 1548LT (3:48 p.m.) on a bombing mission to Vohwinkel. While overflying The Netherlands, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in Vilt. All eight crew members were killed.
   Bottom photo: memorial stone in Zwaluwstraat, Vilt near Valkenburg. Today houses are standing there.

Of the three crews, only one person survived: J.G.N. Braithwaite

The crew members:

• 8 jul 1941 Houthem • Pilot Officer J.G.N. Braithwaite RAF (87058) - Survived Injured, captured, taken as POW • Co-Pilot: Sgt. Glyndwr Owens (754046, aged 26) • WOp/Air Gunner: Flight Sgt. Raymond Wordsworth (969973, aged 27) • Air Gunner: Sgt.Joseph Frank Walton (908698, aged 25)
• 29 jun 1943 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg • Sgt P.W.J. Rendle RAF pilot • Sgt L. Howarth F/Eng • Sgt G.J. Samuel Nav • Sgt C.A. Morris Bomb Aimer • Sgt T.I.L. Dagg W/Op • Sgt F. Hill M/U Gunner • Sgt W.R. Townsend RCAF Tail Gunner
• 1 jan 1945, Vilt
  • W/C R. J. Newton • P/O R. J. Aitchison • F/S J. S. Hoskins • Sgt H. Sansome • F/S A. Lee • Sgt V. J. Clark • Sgt M. Brennan • Sgt L. J. Cooke

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1. Houthem
8 jul 1941 [1.1]
Handley Page
Hampden Mk I [4]
 
2. Valkenburg
29 jun 1943 [1.2]
Handley Page
Halifax [5]

 

3. Vilt,
1 jan 1945, [1.3]
Avro 683 Lancaster [6]
 

Vilt, Zwaluwstraat [1.3]

1. OpenStreetMap & Google Maps
   1. Putweg Curfsweg Houthem
   2. Halifax crash monument OSM • GoogM, Valkenburg, Oostergats
   3. Zwaluwstraat, Vilt
2. Aviation Safety Network Accident Handley Page Hampden Mk I AD937, Tuesday 8 July 1941
3. William R. Chorley, Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War, Vol 4., mentioned at http://www.rafcommands.com/database/serials/details.php?uniq=JB907
4. Handley Page Hampden, Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français • Español
5. Handley Page Halifax, Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français • Português
6. Avro 683 Lancaster, Wikipedia • Nederlands • Deutsch • English • Français • Português

The fallen resistance people in Limburg Royal Air Force – 18 pers.
Aitchison, Richard Justin	∗ 1916-06-29 Onehunga, Auckland † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - Berg en Terblijt - P/O Richard Justin Aitchison, Pilot, SN NZ429286 Their plane crashed on January 1st, 1945 next to the already liberated hamlet of Vilt, municipality of Berg en Terblijt. Son of Oliver … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Brennan, Martin	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - Berg en Terblijt - Sgt Martin Brennan (?), air gunner Their plane crashed on January 1st, 1945 next to the already liberated hamlet of Vilt, municipality of Berg en Terblijt. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Brennan, … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Clark, Victor James	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - Berg en Terblijt - Sgt Victor James Clark (20), wireless operator Their plane crashed on January 1st, 1945 next to the already liberated hamlet of Vilt, municipality of Berg en Terblijt. Son of William James … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Cooke, Leonard James	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - Berg en Terblijt - Sgt Leonard James Cooke (19), air gunner (tail) Their plane crashed on January 1st, 1945 next to the already liberated hamlet of Vilt, municipality of Berg en Terblijt.Son of Alfred James … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg
Dagg, Theodore Ivan Lishman	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1943-06-29 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg	- Royal Air Force - Sergeant (Service Number 1035453) Wireless Operator, air gunner Bomber Halifax II (Serial Nr: JB907), 78 Sqdn, RAF. Shot down by a German night fighter [1] near Chaloen Castle [2] More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Hill, Frank	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1943-06-29 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg	- Royal Air Force - Son of Joseph and Rose Hill, of Longsight, Manchester. Sergeant (Service Number 1699994), air gunner Bomber Halifax II (Serial Nr: JB907), 78 Sqdn, RAF. Shot down by a German night … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Hoskins, John Stanley	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - Berg en Terblijt - F/S John Stanley Hoskins (23), Flight Engineer Their plane crashed on January 1st, 1945 next to the already liberated hamlet of Vilt, municipality of Berg en Terblijt. Son of Arthur James … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Howarth, Leslie	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1943-06-29 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg	- Royal Air Force - Sergeant (Service Number 1146906) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Flight Engineer Bomber Halifax II (Serial Nr: JB907), 78 Sqdn, RAF. Shot down by a German night fighter [1] near … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Lee, Arthur	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - F/S Arthur Lee (25), air bomber,  [1583772] son of Alice Lee, of Fagley, Yorkshire; Husband of Dorothy Alice Lee, of Little Massingham, Norfolk More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Morris, Cecil Andrew	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1943-06-29 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg	- Royal Air Force - Son of John and Eileen Morris, of Drumcondra, Dublin, Irish Republic. Sergeant (Service Number 1337838) Navigator Bomber Halifax II (Serial Nr: JB907), 78 Sqdn, RAF. Shot down by a German … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Newton, Raymond John	∗ 1916-07-17 Christchurch NZ † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - Berg en Terblijt - Wing Commander Raymond John Newton, Pilot, SN NZ40984 New Zealand Their plane crashed on January 1st, 1945 next to the already liberated hamlet of Vilt, municipality of Berg en Terblijt. … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Owens, Glyndwr	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1941-07-08 Houthem	- Royal Air Force - Sergeant (Pilot) / 61 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Hemswell Air Base / Service Number 754046 Parents: John & Gwenllian Owens, Llwyncelyn, Porth, Glamorgan (Wales). Sgt. Glyndwr Owens … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Rendle, Patrick William James	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1943-06-29 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg	- Royal Air Force - Son of Charles Henry and Margaret Kathleen Rendle, of West Coburg, Victoria, Australia Flight Sergeant, Royal Australian Air Force (Service Number 420055) Bomber Halifax II (Serial Nr: JB907), … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Samuel, Gwilym John	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1943-06-29 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg	- Royal Air Force - Son of William and Martha Jane Samuel. Sergeant (Service Number 591204) Navigator Bomber Halifax II (Serial Nr: JB907), 78 Sqdn, RAF. Shot down by a German night fighter [1] near Chaloen … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Sansome, Harry	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1945-01-01 Vilt	- Royal Air Force - Berg en Terblijt - Sgt Harry Sansome (21), Navigator Their plane crashed on January 1st, 1945 next to the already liberated hamlet of Vilt, municipality of Berg en Terblijt. Son of William and Alice Sansome, of … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Townsend, William Russell	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1943-06-29 St. Jansbosweg, Valkenburg	- Royal Air Force - Son of George and Ruby Townsend, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Flight Sergeant, Royal Canadian Air Force, (Service Number R/92330) air gunner Bomber Halifax II (Serial Nr: JB907), 78 … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Walton, Joseph Frank	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1941-07-08 Houthem	- Royal Air Force - Son of Arthur Ernest & Christine Mabel Walton, Ash Vale, Surrey. Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) / 61 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Hemswell Air Base / Service Number 908698 … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03
Wordsworth, Raymond	∗ 0000-00-00 † 1941-07-08 Houthem	- Royal Air Force - Flight Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) / 61 Sqdn. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Hemswell Air Base / Service Number 969973 Son of Lily Wordsworth, Farrington Park, Preston (Lancashire). … More in our story Resistance in Valkenburg v-01-03