Crashsite Handley Page Halifax B. Mk. III, MZ 652/DY-Z, Südlohn-Oeding

The memorial is dedicated to the crew of the Handley Page Halifax B. Mk.III, MZ652/DY-Z bomber of 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force. The aircraft was shot down near this spot on June 17, 1944 by a German fighter on its way to the mission. All seven crew members were killed and the debris was scattered within a radius of 2 kilometers.
The seven crew members were first buried in the Catholic cemetery in Oeding and then reburied in the British military cemetery in Reichswald near Kleve on February 5, 1947.

The text on the monument is as follows:

In memory of the crew members of the
Handley Page Halifax B. Mk.III, MZ 652/DY-Z
No 102 Squadron (RAF)

who were killed on 17 June 1944 when their plane crashed near this point.

Flying officer
William John Henry
Rushforth
34
Canada

Flying officer
Austin Vaughan
Maxwell
Canada

Pilot Officer
Norman William
Amstein
20
Canada

Pilot Officer
Leslie William Joseph
McKenna
18
Canada

Sergeant
Percy
Pestle
23
England

Sergeant
Ernest Oswald
Walker
20
Scotland

Sergeant
Ronald William
Peel
21
England

They were buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Traces of War
• Photos: Arjan Vrieze