An Unexpected Visit.
Spring 1943, and the "Battle of the Ruhr" is in full flow. Night after night the RAF is sending heavy bombers over to the German Ruhr Valley, to try and disable the German’s industrial output, and bring a quicker end to the war.
In England, Hugh Harvey and the crew of his Avro Lancaster bomber are starting their tour of operations with 156 Squadron at RAF Warboys in Huntingdonshire.
Having completed 4 missions successfully, they were detailed to fly a mission to Essen on the night of the 27th May 1943, to bomb the Krupps armament works.
Their ‘usual’ aircraft was unserviceable that night, so they took the squadrons reserve aircraft, which was showing its age by now.
They took off at 11:30pm with a full bomb load. (1x 4000lb High Capacity, 5x 1000lb General Purpose, 6x 500lb High Capacity)
As the navigator, Hugh was responsible for guiding them to the target, so they arrived at the precise time allocated for them to drop their bombs. He would then be responsible for guiding them back to their home base.
The aircraft developed technical difficulties just after crossing the coast of Holland. The pilot lost some height while the problem was rectified. Soon after they were hit by flak, which damaged the aircraft, but was not serious enough to turn back.
A few minutes later they were attacked by a German night fighter. The night fighter attacked from behind and below, and set the aircraft on fire. The rear gunner was killed by this attack.
As the aircraft was on fire, and they had no chance of getting home, the Pilot ordered the crew to parachute out of the aircraft.
Hugh left the aircraft by the emergency hatch in the front of the aircraft. As he exited the aircraft he was knocked unconscious and remembered nothing of the fall to earth. His parachute had somehow opened, and he woke up to find himself in a field. The time was approximately 1:30pm.
Hugh crawled into a ditch to hide, and waited until morning. He was discovered by two Dutch boys on bicycles. They recognised him as a RAF airman, and helped him to a nearby Café. We know from police records of the time, and from Hugh’s records that this was the Zuid-Ginkel Café on Ginkel heath, near Ede.
The owner of the café at that time was Jan Kramer. He and his wife gave Hugh some food and drink and made him welcome. They showed him great kindness even though his presence at the Café would have put them in danger with the German authorities.
Hugh realised that he was endangering them, and with no realistic prospect of evading capture, he asked them to call the local police. The police then informed the Germans who sent a guard to capture him and take him away.
Before the German guard arrived the Kramer’s took a picture of Hugh. After the war they wrote to Hugh and sent him a copy of the picture. They continued to correspond for a number of years.
After capture Hugh was taken to Arnhem, and eventually to a POW camp in East Prussia, (now Lithuania), where he was detained for the rest of the war.
After the war was over he resumed his career with the Midland Bank in England and continued flying with the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He had a very successful and long life. He eventually passed away age 96.
He remembered the help he received from the Kramers at the Zuid-Ginkel café all his life, and always spoke of them with great fondness.
Three other members of the crew did not survive the shooting down of their aircraft.
These were:
The Pilot – David Wallace
The Rear Gunner – Hilton ‘Buster’ Lister.
The Mid Upper Gunner – David Ross.
They are all buried at the general cemetery at Ede.
Written by Stephen Jones. (son in law.)
June 2006
am Looking for Flt. Sgt. REGINALD JACKSON R.A.F. He served in 156 Squadron in 1943. Shot down over Holland May 27th 1943, spent the rest of the war as a POW. If anyone knows how to contact him or a relative, I would be greatful if you could contact me. Thanks.
Steve Jones
stephen dot jones at
dawsonnews dot co dot uk
UK
Hugh Harvey
OTU crew (Jan 1943)
Hugh at Zuid-Ginkel (28th May 1943)
Jan Kramer and his wife
Zuid-Ginkel café
16-01-2009