A simple badge with a story.

[deejay]

A few weeks ago I read an add on a sales website in Holland. The person - a former member of the EOD - was selling a RCAF cap badge which he bought from a man who found it at a crash site of a Halifax bomber in WW2. The seller was also able to tell some crucial details about the crash site with dates making it researchable. As I am very much interested in night fighters in the Netherlands during WW2, I was able to put this little story together.
Enjoy !

[deejay]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Standaardtabel; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> The end of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1>Halifax</st1></st1:city> B.II DK 183.<o></o>
Facts from ‘Wespennest Leeuwarden” Ab. A. Jansen and some own research.<o></o>


On june 13^th 1943, Nightfighter Major Rolf Leuchs from Fliegerhorst Leeuwarden shot down a Canadian Halifax which crashed at 02.13 hours near Den Hoorn on the Dutch island named <st1>Texel</st1>. It was <st1:city w:st="on">Halifax</st1:city> with serial number DK 183 stationed at Leeming airfield in<st1> Yorkshire</st1> of 427 (Lion) squadron. Captain of this aircraft was Pilot Officer Al M. Fellner.<o></o><o></o>
Just after leaving Leeming, the inner starboard Roll Royce engine was already showing some problems having difficulty with delivering the constant needed power for this heavily loaded aeroplane. The crew discussed abandoning the mission and returning to base but just before deciding to return the engine functioned correctly as so carried on with their mission; the bombing of targets at the city of Bochum in the Ruhr in Germany.<o></o>

[deejay]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Standaardtabel; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> They were quite a large distance over enemy territory when the inner starboard engine started causing problems again. It became so overheated that the pilot had to feather it. They were losing altitude and were forced to drop their bombs. Their incendiaries were dropped on a town somewhere in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1>Germany</st1></st1:country-region>. In the distance they could see <st1:city w:st="on"><st1>Bochum</st1></st1:city> but there was no use on trying to reach their objective anymore. P/O Al Fellner turned the aircraft to port to try and get a position at the point of the bomber stream which probably would be underway back by now.<o></o><o></o>
Due to the lack of one engine, the<st1:city w:st="on"><st1> Halifax</st1></st1:city> was difficult to control, they were also still losing altitude and there was limited visibility caused by smoke of the burning targets. It was shortly after this that they were attacked. ‘The four engines got so hot during this mission, quoted by Gerrald ‘Jerry’ Huston, the tail-gunner, they could be easily be seen. It was pure luck or extremely good shooting by the night-fighter pilot as he shot up the working outer starboard engine and the ailerons. The engine caught fire, I saw the fighter which I presume was a Me-109. As it looked as if he was coming in to finish us off, I fired at him, also accompanied by fire from the upper gunner. The fighter just disappeared. <o></o><o></o>We tried to extinguish the fire in the engine but it had no use. The ailerons were out of action causing the aircraft to go out of control, this made us go down in flames.


Here two Halifaxes like the DK 183<o></o>

[deejay]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="metricconverter"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Standaardtabel; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> George Dalton, the navigator, thought we were still above land. We spoke of leaving the aircraft. Before we made this decision, Ken Dixon must have panicked as he jumped out of the aircraft through the rear escape hatch. We never heard of him again’, according to Huston.
<o></o>
Soon the crew knew they would above the Dutch coast and so they took in their ditching positions. George Dalton, Bernard ‘Barry’ L. Tedford, the radio-operator, Thurston, the bomb-aimer and James ‘Jim’ Imms, the engineer, took to their places on the floor behind the front bulk-head and prepared for the landing on the water. Jerry Huston, found himself in a awkward position in the turret at the rear of the aircraft as the doors were jammed.<o></o>
<o></o>
As the aircraft neared the ground of <st1>Texel</st1> at 02.13 hours the crew saw some dark silhouettes which looked as if they were hills; these were in fact trees at the Capnie farm in the Prins Hendrikpolder. De Halifax flew through these tree tops and crashed about <st1:metricconverter productid="200 meters" w:st="on">200 meters</st1:metricconverter> further in a wheat field. The aircraft was heavily damaged and the front and lower sections crushed killing 23 year old Barry Tedford. The 25 year old navigator George Dalton from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1>Victoria</st1></st1:state> B.C., was badly wounded. The cockpit was separated and thrown some <st1:metricconverter productid="10 meters" w:st="on">10 meters</st1:metricconverter> ahead of the wreckage, with Al Fellner still behind the controls. It was a wonder he was still alive although having a deep cut in his right thigh.<o></o>
<o></o>
At <st1:metricconverter productid="300 meters" w:st="on">300 meters</st1:metricconverter> above the ground, Jerry Huston succeeded in opening the jammed rear turret doors en managed to leave the turret as the aircraft hit the ground. He was knocked unconscious into the fuselage. When he regained his senses he noticed that the fuselage was partially filled with earth and on fire. His only chance to get out of the aircraft with his injured back, was to crawl to the rear escape hatch and let himself fall out of the aircraft. He yelled for help and his comrades Thurston and Jim Imms came to assist; he then fell unconscious again. We he regained his senses, George Dalton had passed away.<o></o>
<o></o>
The aircraft laid over ditch marking the boundaries of Mr. W. Roeper and Mr. M.J. Kikkert near Den Hoorn (in the period around 1976).


An actual picture of the wreckage of Halifax DK 183.<o></o>

[deejay]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Standaardtabel; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> Just before 04.00 hours the Germans came and took the survivors prisoner. The only Englishman; 23 year old engineer Sgt. Jim Imms surrendered with his hands up. For some apparent reason he was shot in the stomach at short range. Thurston, totally stunned, was the only witness to this dreadful happening. De rest of the crew heard of it later on. With injured Al Fellner and Jerry Huston, <st1>Jim</st1><st1> Inns</st1> was brought to a hospital in<st1:city w:st="on"><st1> Amsterdam</st1></st1:city>.<st1><st1> Jim</st1><st1> </st1></st1>did not understand why the German shot him. Realizing that he was dying he asked Jerry Huston to visit his parents in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1>England</st1></st1:country-region> when he returned.<o></o><o></o> Locals were not allowed to approach the crash site. Later on the sons of the Kikkert residence managed to get their hands on the transmitter/receiver – which was already confiscated by the Germans – and deliver it to the resistance.

<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CEigenaar%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cm sohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Standaardtabel; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> Left to right: George Dalton, Gerrald ‘Jerry’ Huston, Thurston, Bernard ‘Barry’ Tedford and Al Fellner. This picture was made when still a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1>Wellington</st1></st1:city> crew in 1942.<o></o>

[deejay]

<o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:HyphenationZone>21</w:HyphenationZone> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Standaardtabel; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> The navigator; Pilot Officer George Dalton, and the radio-operator Pilot Officer Bernard L. (Barry) Tedford lay buried at Den Burg on<st1> Texel</st1> island. Sgt. James Inns was buried in<st1:city w:st="on"><st1> Bergen</st1></st1:city>.

This badge was found at the crash site by a Dutch local, Mr. Hendriks who was forced to clear the wreckage of Halifax DK 183 shortly after the crash. Obtained from a fellow collector in December 2009.<o></o> Which one of the crew members owned this will stay a mystery I guess but still, it deserves a nice place in my collection.

Thanks for looking.
<o></o>
* Sgt. Ken Dixon was buried at Borkum.<o></o>

[seebee1]

An amazing account Dirk J and all based on the finding of an RAF Cap Badge, quite remarkable and excellent research, regards, Clive.

[Tmfellner]

I came across this thread while doing research on my family history. I was hocked and excited to read about this event, as the pilot is my great uncle. I was hoping by responding to this you might be able to give more some more information about the crash, and if you would ever like to part with the badge, I would love a chance to possibly bring it home to one of the members of the crew. In case you were wondering, Al Fellner is still alive, he'll be 94 this year.

[ROBB]

Amazing story , perhaps you could add a photo of Al fellner as he is today . Rob

[grandads-kitbag]

superb story an superb reseach

[deejay]

I came across this thread while doing research on my family history. I was hocked and excited to read about this event, as the pilot is my great uncle. I was hoping by responding to this you might be able to give more some more information about the crash, and if you would ever like to part with the badge, I would love a chance to possibly bring it home to one of the members of the crew. In case you were wondering, Al Fellner is still alive, he'll be 94 this year.

Hi there, and welcome to the forum!

It is most interesting to read you are a family member of Al Fellner and that he is still alive. Please print this story and picture, show it to him and above all ask him to write down his memoirs if not already done.

The research and pictures and pictures are from a book trilogy called 'Wespennest Leeuwarden ' (meaning Hornet's nest Leeuwarden (a German nightfighter airfield in ww2)).

The badge resides in my humble collection and of coarse has lots of historic value to me. I don't want to part with it but if you send me your address were I can reach you somewhere in the future; I will personally see to it that you get it as I can understand how you feel about it.

Anyway thanks for contacting me and making this great addition to my thread and please send my regards to your great uncle!

[Thomas Durante]

Great gesture Dirk!

This is a great thread with some excellent research, thanks for sharing it with us.

Tom

[Eric JB]

Hi Dirk,

Didn't see this post from you here before - till now, what a great thread it is !

I have those three book Wespennest Leeuwarden by Ab Jansen myself and did visit Texel several times.

Great to see that part of history here on WAF.

Thanks for posting it.

Best regards

Eric-Jan

[Tmfellner]

I showed this thread to my father, and he recognized the picture of the crash. He said my Uncle Chop ( as we called him) had the same picture. My dad told me that the events that happened to him were never talked about, he kept it to himself as a lot of former airmen do. My family and I appreciate your kind gesture and below is my email address, if you email me I will send along my contact information. Again thank you for posting your research. If not for your hard work and interest I would never have known what happened back then. As for a recent photo I will try to find one that's current but if you look at the photo of the crew, Uncle chops smile is still exactly the same. That's how I knew it was him!
Cheers and fond regards!
Trisha
Trishahewson@yahoo.ca

[deejay]

I showed this thread to my father, and he recognized the picture of the crash. He said my Uncle Chop ( as we called him) had the same picture. My dad told me that the events that happened to him were never talked about, he kept it to himself as a lot of former airmen do. My family and I appreciate your kind gesture and below is my email address, if you email me I will send along my contact information. Again thank you for posting your research. If not for your hard work and interest I would never have known what happened back then. As for a recent photo I will try to find one that's current but if you look at the photo of the crew, Uncle chops smile is still exactly the same. That's how I knew it was him!
Cheers and fond regards!
Trisha
Trishahewson@yahoo.ca

Hi Trisha,

I am kind of proud to have been able to cause a sparkling moment of thought of the past for you, your father and above all your great uncle Chops as he thought back of those days, his mates who perished and survived these tragic times!

A remembrance to all the young people who gave or were prepared to give their lives for our freedom; the exact reason for this thread.

We owe them everything - cheers to the new Bomber Command Memorial in London, a mighty addition to this story!