Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

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19/20.05.1940 No. 102 Squadron Whitley V N1417 DY-B P/O. Cogman

Henk and Nel (née Daniels) WiegersmaNel (née Daniels) WiegersmaNel (née Daniels) WiegersmaOperation: Synthetic Oil Plant at Buer

Date: 19/20th May 1940 (Sunday/Monday)

Unit: No. 102 Squadron

Type: Whitley V

Serial: N1417

Code: DY-B

Base: RAF Driffield, Yorkshire

Location: De Klef north east of Milheeze, Netherlands

Pilot: P/O. William Curwin Gavine Cogman 39274 RAF Age 27. Evaded capture (1)

Pilot: P/O. Leonard Miller 40411 RAF Age 21. PoW No: 24 Camp: Stalag Luft Sagan - L3 (2)

Obs: Sgt. Kenneth Victor Thrift 580889 RAF Age 20. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: LAC. J.R. Nicholson 620766 RAF PoW No: 13040 Camp: Stalag Luft Heydekrug - L6

W/Op/Air/Gnr: AC2. E.H. Bros 633782 RAF PoW No: 13043 Camp: Stalag Luft Heydekrug - L6

REASON FOR LOSS:

A bomber force of some 78 aircraft were briefed to attack a wide range of targets both at the battle grounds in France and Belgium, the oil plant as well as communications and other industrial targets in Germany.

Taking off from RAF Driffield in Yorkshire at 20:00 to bomb the Synthetic Oil Factory in Buer. Understood to have been hit by flak and came down on farmland at around 23:30 hrs.

(1) On the 08/09th September 1939, P/O. William Curwin Gavine Cogman was forced down by Belgian fighters (then a neutral country) in a 102 Squadron Whitley III K8985 DY-J. All his crew survived but then interned by the Belgian authorities. Only after intervention from the British Ambassador offering his apologies were the crew released.

After the incident as described on this page P/O. Cogman managed to evade capture and boarded the SS. Abukir from Ostend also carrying large numbers of the British Expeditionary Force withdrawing from France and Belgium. The Luftwaffe bombed the ship for over an hour but failed to make any hits. At 01:15 hrs the Kriegsmarine E-boat, S-34 gave chase, although the ships captain managed to make a zig-zag course to try and ram the S-34. But the 8 knot top speed of the steam ship was no match S-34 fired two torpedoes - the first missed, the second hit the coaster amidships - sinking her within minutes, 24 survived out of the estimated 500 people on board.

(2) After being shot down F/O Leonard Miller was found by a farmer in a field near the crash site. F/O Miller had suffered a shrapnel wound to the leg so he was taken to a Doctor, Hendrik (Henk) Wiegersma, in the nearby village of Deurne. The wound was so serious that the Doctor decided to operate immediately. After the successful operation, Leonard recuperated for a few days at the home of Henk and his wife Petronella (Nel) (née Daniels). In the meantime Henk had to determine how to return Leonard to Allied lines. In the interim and for the safety of all concerned it was arranged for Leonard to stay at a nearby Nuns convent. From there he travelled to Eindhoven and stayed with the De Vlam family, who were friends of Henk and Nel. From here they tried to move Leonard into France but unfortunately he was arrested by the Germans before he could be moved out of Eindhoven. The circumstance leading to his arrest have yet to be determined

As a PoW Leonard kept in contact with Henk and Nel, sending them letters and post cards about life in the camp. They in turn sent him food parcels and letters.

Letter and enclosed photograph of P/O Leonard Miller, believed to be 3rd from the left, and captured Pilots at Oflag 9A Schloss Spangenberg, Hesse, Germany (Credit: Nick Wiegersma)

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Anyone knowing the identity of the remaining captured pilots please contact the Helpdesk

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Postcard card sent to Henk and Nel Wiegersma dated 14th October 1940 (Credit: Nick Wiegersma)

Christmas card sent to Henk and Nel Wiegersma in 1941 (Credit: Nick Wiegersma)

After his release, Leonard Miller transferred to the RNZAF and served with 74 Squadron. The then Fl/Lt. Leonard Miller NZ/2451 was killed on the 02nd January 1946. Flying a Meteor F.III EE335 took off at about 10:55 hrs making a low level pass over the airfield at Warmwell an hour later, followed by a climbing roll into cloud at 2,000 ft. He emerged from that in a vertical dive and crashed into the ground close to Moreton Crossroads east of the airfield. He had 713 flying hours logged with 32 of these on the Meteor. (information courtesy of Errol W. Martyn)

Burial details:

Sgt. Kenneth Victor Thrift. Jonkerbos War Cemetery. Grave: 12.F.9. Son of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Thrift, of Kinver, Staffordshire, England. Grave inscription reads: "Your Memory Is Hallowed In The Land You Loved".

Others:

P/O. William Curwin Gavine Cogman. Runnymede Memorial. Panel 5. No further details - are you able to assist?

P/O. Leonard Miller. Bath Cemetery (Haycombe). Plot 39. Sec. H. Row F. Grave 245. Son of Mathew and Leonora Miller of Auckland, New Zealand.

Researched for relatives of this crew. For further details our thanks to Errol W. Martyn and Bill Chorley for details. Special thanks to Nick Wiegersma for allowing us to share the personal story and correspondence between his Grandparents and P/O Miller. Also to the following sources:

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