Royal New Zealand Air Force War Graves in Groningen
Zevenhuizen General Cemetery
This page was updated on 10 August 2021
Zevenhuizen
Gordon David Hudson
Row D. Joint grave 15.
F/O G.D. Hudson - 413419
Son of William and Elizabeth Annie Hudson, of New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand.
F/O Gordon Hudson, RNZAF, was the pilot of Mosquito B.XVI, RV326/8K-L, of 571 Squadron. He and his Canadian navigator Maurice George Gant took-off from RAF Oakington at 19.07 hrs in the evening of 27th March, 1945, for a mission to Berlin, Germany. While flying at 25.000 ft over the northern part of the Netherlands, they collided with Mosquito MM202, flown by F/L Leicester Smith and navigator F/O Bill Lane, also from 571 Squadron. Their Mosquito lost the right hand propeller in the collision. Smith brought the Mosquito into a dive to extinguish the fire, in which he succeeded. By then, the Mosquito had descended to 10.000 ft. He then flew the aircraft back to England where he landed at RAF Woodbridge.
The Mosquito of Hudson and Gant was damaged more seriously and became uncontrollable and then went into a spin. Around 19.45 hrs RV326 crashed onto the land belonging to Mr. Buist, bordering woods, known locally as the 'Commissiebos' at Zevenhuizen. Both F/O Hudson and F/O Gant were killed and are buried here in Zevenhuizen.
The Mosquito of Hudson and Gant was damaged more seriously and became uncontrollable and then went into a spin. Around 19.45 hrs RV326 crashed onto the land belonging to Mr. Buist, bordering woods, known locally as the 'Commissiebos' at Zevenhuizen. Both F/O Hudson and F/O Gant were killed and are buried here in Zevenhuizen.
Sources:
BCL, Vol.VII, 1945, p.148
Gevleugeld Verleden p.401-402
BCL, Vol.VII, 1945, p.148
Gevleugeld Verleden p.401-402