Killed Airmen Memorial

You can find a small chapel at the intersection of the Bakelseweg and the Asdonkseweg between Aarle Rixtel and Bakel

Aarle-Rixtel 1940-1945

The Brabantse Aarle-Rixtel with approximately 3.000 residents in 1940 is situated against the Peel at the intersection of the canals Zuid-Willemsvaart (Weert-Den Bosch) and the Wilhelmina canal (in the direction of Tilburg). This point was used as orientation by the English Royal Air Force and USA Air Force with the bombings on Germany. Known flights are from, O.a., the RAF Gay Gibson "bombs on the Ruhrdams" in May '43 and Schweinfurt in Oct '43 by the USAAF. Especially in the summer of 1943, the RAF fly's then at night and the USAAF during the day, these flights are beeing attacked by anti aircraft artillery and nighthunters from the nearby airfields. By this in this area and in the Peel, many aircraft crashed.

On Aarle-Rixtels groundarea are crashed with a deadly end;
29 June 1943 an Halifax B 11 Serial: DT-783 10th Squadron RAF. The crew was as followed:

Flight Officer Pilot Stanly Peate (England, 20 years)
Flight Sgt. Navigator Paul L. Rakoczy (USA, 22 years)
Flight Officer Airbomber Harace H. Pearson (England, 24 years)
Sgt. Airgunner A. Bailey (England, 21 years)
Sgt. Flight engineer. K. Pape (England, 22 years)
Sgt. Airguner N. Erickson ( England, 27 years)
Sgt. Airgunner Joseph G. Sweeney (Canada, 22 years)

On January 1st 1945 three German Messerschmitt Me 110 were shot down by English Air target machinery. Later on the same day a Typhoon with pilot Howard Gibbons, 24 years, of the 168 Squadron RAF who got killed during that.

The Allied casualties are burried on the War cemetery in Eindhoven-Woensel.

At the remembrance of those fallen Aircraftcrew and residents they build on the east side of the canal, at the intersection of the Bakelseweg and the Asdonkseweg, a small chapel. On the foreground there is a marble plaquette placed with there names and age as an tribute to all who gave there live for our freedom. The residents are:

H.W. Barten, 21 years
P.H. Nooyen, 27 years
P. van Bakel, 29 years
H. Verbruggen, 28 years
K.H Roest, 23 years
H. Janssen, 23 years

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Source

• Text: Bertus Hagelaar
• Photos: Martin Damen