Crash Site Handley Page Halifax Mk II DT620

Halifax DT620 of 138 Squadron RAF had been on a SOE (Special Operations Executive) mission to drop Zone Wrona 614 secret ("Operation Slate") deep in Poland, where it had dropped 6 containers and 6 packages to the Polish resistance movement.

On Air Station Kastrup Staffelkapitän Oberleutnant Martin Drewes of 7th Night Fighter Squadron was alerted by the officer on duty at radar station "Seehund" near Tybjerg at the centre of Zealand who reported that a number of enemy planes were crossing Zealand from west to east at a low height. At this height the radar was unable to help the night fighter, so he could only give the course of the planes.
Shortly after take-off with his Bf 110 coded D5+DR Drewes spotted a Halifax at a height of 200 metres and he opened fire at a distance of 80 metres. After a short burst the Halifax caught fire, exploded in the air and fell into the sea off Harvig at 21:42. It fell into the water, 8 metres deep, 200 metres off the coast.

Crew:
Pilot F/S Leslie R. Smith
Co pilot Sgt Horace R. Harrap RNZAF
Wop Sgt Thomas Mairs
Navigator/Air Bomber Sgt Colin F. Chambers
Air Gnr. F/S Eugene S. Masson RCAF
Wop/Air Gnr. Sgt Donald R. Ross RCAF
Flt Engr. Sgt Arthur C. Sixsmith

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Marjolijn Post