Royal New Zealand Air Force War Graves in Noord-Holland
Bergen General Cemetery
The Bergen Cemetery has eight named New Zealand wargraves. One grave holds the remains of an unidentified RNZAF Flying Officer, buried on 6 September, 1944.
Daniel Mclean Campbell
Plot 2. Row B. Grave 14.
P/O D.M. Campbell - 40189
Son of Robert William and Ellen Campbell.
Son of Robert William and Ellen Campbell.
Eric Russell Lucas
Plot 2. Row B. Grave 15.
Sgt E. R. Lucas - 391860
Son of Frank U. and Rose Lucas, of Waitara, Taranaki, New Zealand.
Son of Frank U. and Rose Lucas, of Waitara, Taranaki, New Zealand.
On the 10th May, 1941, Stirling B.I, N3654/'LS-B', of XV Squadron, RAF, took off from her base at RAF Wyton for an operation against targets in Berlin. The bomber was intercepted and attacked by a German night fighter and crashed subsequently between the villages of Hoogwoud and Opmeer. There were no survivors. The two RNZAF airmen in the crew were buried here in Bergen General Cemetery: P/O Daniel Mclean Campbell and Sgt Eric Russell Lucas, as are the captain, W/C Herbert Reginald Dale and their fellow crew:
P/O Peter Reginald Stephenson Bird, RAF
Sgt Frank Augustus Sidney Smith, RAF
Sgt Norman Howard Nuttall, RAF
Sgt Stanley Philip Plumb, RAF
Notes.
This Stirling was claimed by Oblt Egmont Prinz zur Lippe Weissenfeld of 4./NJG 1, at 00.20 hrs on 11th May, 1941. The position of the claimed Stirling is given as 10 km to the South-west of Medemblik. In NCA 1941, Part 1, p.93, it is stated, the Stirling was engaged at a height of 4.300 metres, the Luftwaffe pilot being directed by 'Hering' GCI, with the interception taking place near Spanbroek, to the West of Medemblik.
On Tuesday, the 11th May, 2004, a monument commemorating the XV Squadron crew, was unveiled at the A.C. de Graafweg at Opmeer, close to where the Stirling came down. Prior to this ceremony, a memorial service was held at the Petrus and Paulus Church, Bergen, where at 12.00 hrs, with full military honors, the fellow crew members of W/C Dale were laid to rest. Members of the Queen's Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force lead the funeral procession, with Air Marshal Philip Sturley, Chief of Staff HQ Allied Forces Air North, Ramstein, representing the Chief of the Air Staff.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force was represented by the RH David Payton, New Zealand Ambassador to the Netherlands. The Venerable Geoffrey Allen conducted the service.
P/O Peter Reginald Stephenson Bird, RAF
Sgt Frank Augustus Sidney Smith, RAF
Sgt Norman Howard Nuttall, RAF
Sgt Stanley Philip Plumb, RAF
Notes.
This Stirling was claimed by Oblt Egmont Prinz zur Lippe Weissenfeld of 4./NJG 1, at 00.20 hrs on 11th May, 1941. The position of the claimed Stirling is given as 10 km to the South-west of Medemblik. In NCA 1941, Part 1, p.93, it is stated, the Stirling was engaged at a height of 4.300 metres, the Luftwaffe pilot being directed by 'Hering' GCI, with the interception taking place near Spanbroek, to the West of Medemblik.
On Tuesday, the 11th May, 2004, a monument commemorating the XV Squadron crew, was unveiled at the A.C. de Graafweg at Opmeer, close to where the Stirling came down. Prior to this ceremony, a memorial service was held at the Petrus and Paulus Church, Bergen, where at 12.00 hrs, with full military honors, the fellow crew members of W/C Dale were laid to rest. Members of the Queen's Colour Squadron of the Royal Air Force lead the funeral procession, with Air Marshal Philip Sturley, Chief of Staff HQ Allied Forces Air North, Ramstein, representing the Chief of the Air Staff.
The Royal New Zealand Air Force was represented by the RH David Payton, New Zealand Ambassador to the Netherlands. The Venerable Geoffrey Allen conducted the service.
The memorial to the airman of Stirling N3654 of XV Squadron at Opmeer.
Sources:
BCL, Vol.III, 1941, p.56.
Luftwaffe Night Fighter Combat Claims 1939-45, p.20.
Nachtjagd Combat Archive (NCA) 1941, Part 1, p.93.
Gemeente Opmeer.
Stichting Hooghoutwoud website.
BCL, Vol.III, 1941, p.56.
Luftwaffe Night Fighter Combat Claims 1939-45, p.20.
Nachtjagd Combat Archive (NCA) 1941, Part 1, p.93.
Gemeente Opmeer.
Stichting Hooghoutwoud website.
George Alexander Herbert
Plot 1. Row E. Grave 24.
F/L G.A. Herbert - 401763
Son of Frank and Eva Emma Herbert, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Son of Frank and Eva Emma Herbert, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand.
The special low-level daylight air operation, of 12th August, 1941, to the power stations of Köln-Knapsack and Quadrath brought a heavy loss, not only to 139 Squadron. In total of the 54 aircraft despatched 12 Blenheims and 6 escorting Spitfires were lost. No. 139 Squadron lost 3 aircraft with 7 airmen killed and 2 made prisoner of war.
F/L George Herbert, RNZAF, had taken off from RAF Oulton at 09.49 hrs. Close to the Dutch coast Blenheim IV V6261 was intercepted and shot down by German fighters. The aircraft crashed into the North Sea. F/L Herbert and Sgt George Benton, RAF, were buried here in Bergen, whereas P/O Courtney Claude Orwin George, RAF, has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial (Panel 32).
F/L George Herbert, RNZAF, had taken off from RAF Oulton at 09.49 hrs. Close to the Dutch coast Blenheim IV V6261 was intercepted and shot down by German fighters. The aircraft crashed into the North Sea. F/L Herbert and Sgt George Benton, RAF, were buried here in Bergen, whereas P/O Courtney Claude Orwin George, RAF, has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial (Panel 32).
Source:
BCL, Vol.III, 1941, p.113
BCL, Vol.III, 1941, p.113
Donald Miller
Plot 1. Row A. Grave 13.
F/S D. Miller - 404617
Son of Stanley Napier Miller and Florence Amy Miller, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Son of Stanley Napier Miller and Florence Amy Miller, of Hamilton, Auckland, New Zealand.
On 16th September, 1942, at 20.14 hrs, Wellington B.Ic X9920 of 15 OTU left her base at RAF Harwell for a bombing mission to Essen in Germany. On the return flight, the bomber was intercepted and shot down by a German night fighter. The Wellington crashed on farmland near the Westerweg, Heiloo at 00.12 hrs, on 17th September, 1942. All 6 crew members were buried here in Bergen. F/S Donald Miller, RNZAF, was wireless operator/air gunner in Sgt Nobbs crew:
Sgt Walter John Nobbs, RAF
Sgt Thomas James Fraser, RAF
Sgt John Henry Stirk
F/S Donald Miller, RNZAF
Sgt Frederick Kenneth Arthur Seals, RAF
Sgt Ronald George Ware, RAF
Note.
This Wellington was claimed as shot down by Lt Eberhard Gardiewski of 6./NJG 2 at 23.07 hrs.
Sgt Walter John Nobbs, RAF
Sgt Thomas James Fraser, RAF
Sgt John Henry Stirk
F/S Donald Miller, RNZAF
Sgt Frederick Kenneth Arthur Seals, RAF
Sgt Ronald George Ware, RAF
Note.
This Wellington was claimed as shot down by Lt Eberhard Gardiewski of 6./NJG 2 at 23.07 hrs.
BCL, Vol.VII, OTU's, p.159
Luftwaffe night fighter Combat Claims 1939-1945, p.59
Luftwaffe night fighter Combat Claims 1939-1945, p.59
Douglas Haig Northcoat
Plot 2. Row D. Grave 26.
F/S D.H. Northcoat - 413773
-
-
Evin Rankin Strang
Plot 2. Row D. Grave 24.
P/O E.R. Strang - 413718
Son of Thomas Rankin Strang and of Daisy Hannah Strang (nee Elerig), of Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand.
Son of Thomas Rankin Strang and of Daisy Hannah Strang (nee Elerig), of Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand.
On the 22nd June, 1943, at 23.22 hrs, Halifax B.V DK225/'ZL-J' of 427 Squadron left RAF Leeming for a bombing operation to Mülheim in the German Ruhrgebiet. The Halifax was intercepted and shot down by a German night fighter. DK225 crashed at 01.22 hrs in the morning of 23rd June, 1943, near the OostMijzerDijk, West-Mijzen, some 9 kilometers to the South-west of Hoorn. Only one crew member, Sgt T. Mitchell, RAF, survived. His fellow airmen were all buried here in Bergen:
F/L Keith Webster, RAF
Sgt Cyril Sampson, RAF
Sgt Evin Rankin Strang, RNZAF
Sgt Albert Edward Humphreys, RAF
Sgt Gordon Leslie Tucker, RCAF
Sgt Douglas Haig Northcoat, RNZAF
Notes.
No. 427 (Lion) Squadron, RCAF lost 4 aircraft on this raid, claiming the life of 26 airmen. Only two survived and were made prisoner.
This Halifax was claimed by Ofw Karl-Georg Pfeiffer, 10./NJG 1. The position of the interception is given as 2 kilometers to the North-east of Schermerhorn. (NCA 1943,Part 2, p.6).
F/L Keith Webster, RAF
Sgt Cyril Sampson, RAF
Sgt Evin Rankin Strang, RNZAF
Sgt Albert Edward Humphreys, RAF
Sgt Gordon Leslie Tucker, RCAF
Sgt Douglas Haig Northcoat, RNZAF
Notes.
No. 427 (Lion) Squadron, RCAF lost 4 aircraft on this raid, claiming the life of 26 airmen. Only two survived and were made prisoner.
This Halifax was claimed by Ofw Karl-Georg Pfeiffer, 10./NJG 1. The position of the interception is given as 2 kilometers to the North-east of Schermerhorn. (NCA 1943,Part 2, p.6).
Sources:
BCL, Vol.V, 1943, p.202
Luftwaffe night fighter Combat Claims 1939-1945, p.88
Nachtjagd Combat Archive (NCA) 1943, Part 2, p.6
BCL, Vol.V, 1943, p.202
Luftwaffe night fighter Combat Claims 1939-1945, p.88
Nachtjagd Combat Archive (NCA) 1943, Part 2, p.6
Siddle Henry Schofield
Plot 1. Row B. Grave 22.
Sgt S. H. Schofield - 404950
Son of Charles James Schofield and of Elsie Schofield (nee Siddle), of Norsewood, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
Son of Charles James Schofield and of Elsie Schofield (nee Siddle), of Norsewood, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand.
On 28 July 1942, No. 107 Squadron had been detailed for an intruder operation to airfields in the West of the Netherlands, including Bergen airfield. Boston III, AL765 left her base at RAF Great Massingham at 22.01 hrs. The Boston was hit by flak and crashed around 23.10 hrs near at the Krommedijk (Hogedijk), Egmond aan de Hoef, not far from the Wimmenumer Molen (mill). All four crew members were buried here in Bergen:
F/S Richard Anderson Russell, RCAF
Sgt Siddle Henry Schofield, RNZAF
Sgt Joseph Eric Percival, RAF
F/S John Robert Collins, RCAF
F/S Richard Anderson Russell, RCAF
Sgt Siddle Henry Schofield, RNZAF
Sgt Joseph Eric Percival, RAF
F/S John Robert Collins, RCAF
Note.
In the Nachtjagd Combat Archive of 1942 (Part 3, p.54) Dr Theo Boiten writes: "107 Squadron Boston AL765: hit by 3./Lei. Flak Abt. 764, 3./Lei. Flak Abt. 845, 5./Res. Flak Abt. 242, 10./M.A. Abt.201 and H.S. Fl. Boot H304. Crashed at Egmond-aan-de-Hoef near Alkmaar at 23.10 hrs".
In the Nachtjagd Combat Archive of 1942 (Part 3, p.54) Dr Theo Boiten writes: "107 Squadron Boston AL765: hit by 3./Lei. Flak Abt. 764, 3./Lei. Flak Abt. 845, 5./Res. Flak Abt. 242, 10./M.A. Abt.201 and H.S. Fl. Boot H304. Crashed at Egmond-aan-de-Hoef near Alkmaar at 23.10 hrs".
Sources:
BCL, Vol.IV, 1942, p.165.
Nachtjagd Combat Archive (NCA) 1942, Part 3, p.54.
Vliegveld Bergen NH 1939-1945, p.172 (giving 30 July, 1942 as the date of the crash).
BCL, Vol.IV, 1942, p.165.
Nachtjagd Combat Archive (NCA) 1942, Part 3, p.54.
Vliegveld Bergen NH 1939-1945, p.172 (giving 30 July, 1942 as the date of the crash).
Reuben Acton Scragg
Plot 1. Row D. Grave 7.
F/S R.A. Scragg - 401413
Son of Harold and Mary Scragg, of Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand; husband of Esther Dorothy Scragg, of Napier.
Son of Harold and Mary Scragg, of Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand; husband of Esther Dorothy Scragg, of Napier.
Wellington B.II W5442/'PH-B' of 12 Squadron, RAF, left RAF Waltham at 20.39 hrs on 9th March, 1942, for an air operation to Essen, Germany. On the return leg W5442 had been damaged by flak and limped toward the Dutch coast. It had a damaged port engine, generator and hydraulic failure and had been steadily losing altitude. Then, around 23.30 hrs, the Wellington was raked from underneath cannon fire with tracer. The crew thought they were under attack by a night fighter, but it was actually 20mm flak directed from batteries at Velsen and Beverwijk. The Air Raid Precautions Department at Haarlem had also witnessed the final moments of the Wellington. Just before 23.30 hrs the air raid warning signal was given, moments later the aircraft passed overhead.
The Wellington was set on fire and crashed at 23.42 hrs alongside the Kagerweg near Beverwijk. Three crew survived the crash and were taken prisoner: P/O R. H. Buchanan, RAF, Sgt C.J. Chedd, RAF, and Sgt R.A. Arnold, RAF.
The other three airmen were buried in Bergen General Cemetery:
Sgt Patrick Gibbings Sanders, RAF
Sgt Reuben Acton Scragg, RNZAF
Sgt Henry Marshall Murdo, RAF
The Wellington was set on fire and crashed at 23.42 hrs alongside the Kagerweg near Beverwijk. Three crew survived the crash and were taken prisoner: P/O R. H. Buchanan, RAF, Sgt C.J. Chedd, RAF, and Sgt R.A. Arnold, RAF.
The other three airmen were buried in Bergen General Cemetery:
Sgt Patrick Gibbings Sanders, RAF
Sgt Reuben Acton Scragg, RNZAF
Sgt Henry Marshall Murdo, RAF
The following is gleaned from a report on the Aviation Safety Network website and is an account made by Chris Roberts, a grandson of Sgt Arnold, the rear gunner in P/O Buchanan's crew:
"The Captain gave the order to abandon aircraft. Sgt Chedd bailed out; Sgt Arnold either came forward at this stage, or was already forward due to the hydraulic system failure, put a parachute on his friend Reuben, who had been hit in the chest, and dropped him out of the aircraft before jumping after him. 8 minutes after passing over the battery, the aircraft crashed landed in a field near the Kagerweg at Beverwijk killing Sgt Murdo and Sgt Sanders. Sgt Murdo, who was only 19 years old and on his first operational flight, had frozen with fear to his guns. The Captain, P/O Buchanan was so badly injured that the Germans repatriated him to the UK through the Red Cross.
Because of the low altitude Sgt Arnold hurt his knee badly on landing. He found his friend F/Sgt Scragg and finding that he had died removed his wedding ring with the intention of sending it to his wife in New Zealand. Soon after, the Dutch police picked him up and held him in the local school until the Gestapo took him to Harlem Prison.
Next morning, Maria Petronella de Vries, an 8 years old schoolgirl, was cycling to school along a road through the polder called Wijkermeerpolder. Suddenly out of the reeds on the lower side of the road (these roads had ditches on both sides with reeds on each bank) a uniformed man appeared. He said something in a strange language which she didn’t recognise. As her family hid people in their house from the Germans (not clear who, perhaps Jews), she was terrified of anyone wearing a uniform, especially the Germans and rode away quickly. Her father kept her home from school the following day for fear she might talk about it to other people. German records show that Sgt Chedd was captured on 9/10 March at Beverwijk, so it was probably him that she had seen.
The Luftwaffe Politzie collected Sgt Arnold from the prison and took him to hospital. Later he was moved to Dulag Luft, an allied aircrew de-briefing centre.
The grave reports for the General Cemetery at Bergen show that the dead crew members were buried on March 12th. Two were identifiable at the time of burial, but Sgt Sanders was buried as ‘unknown Sgt’, and named after the war."
"The Captain gave the order to abandon aircraft. Sgt Chedd bailed out; Sgt Arnold either came forward at this stage, or was already forward due to the hydraulic system failure, put a parachute on his friend Reuben, who had been hit in the chest, and dropped him out of the aircraft before jumping after him. 8 minutes after passing over the battery, the aircraft crashed landed in a field near the Kagerweg at Beverwijk killing Sgt Murdo and Sgt Sanders. Sgt Murdo, who was only 19 years old and on his first operational flight, had frozen with fear to his guns. The Captain, P/O Buchanan was so badly injured that the Germans repatriated him to the UK through the Red Cross.
Because of the low altitude Sgt Arnold hurt his knee badly on landing. He found his friend F/Sgt Scragg and finding that he had died removed his wedding ring with the intention of sending it to his wife in New Zealand. Soon after, the Dutch police picked him up and held him in the local school until the Gestapo took him to Harlem Prison.
Next morning, Maria Petronella de Vries, an 8 years old schoolgirl, was cycling to school along a road through the polder called Wijkermeerpolder. Suddenly out of the reeds on the lower side of the road (these roads had ditches on both sides with reeds on each bank) a uniformed man appeared. He said something in a strange language which she didn’t recognise. As her family hid people in their house from the Germans (not clear who, perhaps Jews), she was terrified of anyone wearing a uniform, especially the Germans and rode away quickly. Her father kept her home from school the following day for fear she might talk about it to other people. German records show that Sgt Chedd was captured on 9/10 March at Beverwijk, so it was probably him that she had seen.
The Luftwaffe Politzie collected Sgt Arnold from the prison and took him to hospital. Later he was moved to Dulag Luft, an allied aircrew de-briefing centre.
The grave reports for the General Cemetery at Bergen show that the dead crew members were buried on March 12th. Two were identifiable at the time of burial, but Sgt Sanders was buried as ‘unknown Sgt’, and named after the war."
Note.
No. 12 Squadron was based at RAF Binbrook, but around this time, the wet weather hindered the airfield in supporting heavy bomber operations. From the middle of November 1941, both 142 and 12 Squadron operated from RAF Waltham, also known as RAF Grimsby.
No. 12 Squadron was based at RAF Binbrook, but around this time, the wet weather hindered the airfield in supporting heavy bomber operations. From the middle of November 1941, both 142 and 12 Squadron operated from RAF Waltham, also known as RAF Grimsby.
Sources:
BCL, Vol.IV, 1942, p.44.
Aviation Safety Network website: ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 52965.
BCL, Vol.IV, 1942, p.44.
Aviation Safety Network website: ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 52965.
An Airman of the 1939-1945 War
A Flying Officer of the Royal New Zealand Air Force
6 September 1944
A Flying Officer of the Royal New Zealand Air Force
6 September 1944