Operation: South Hornli Patrol
Date: 23rd November 1941 (Sunday)
Unit No: 608 Squadron, Coastal Command
Type: Hudson V
Serial: AM715
Code: UL:T
Base: RAF Thornaby, Yorkshire
Location: Near Skjern, Denmark
Pilot: Flt Sgt. Russell Hamilton MacMillan R78250 RCAF Age 20. KiA
2nd pilot: Flt Sgt. George Noile Fullerton R58303 RCAF Age 21. KiA
WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. John Short 923073 RAFVR Age? KiA
WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Francis George Simmonds 1153725 RAFVR Age? KiA
REASON FOR LOSS:
AM715 took off from RAF Thornaby at 10:43 hrs on the 23rd November 1941 on a South Hornli Patrol.
South Hornli Patrol was the codename for a patrol from Horns Rocks in Denmark to List in Norway.
After flying over Tarm towards Skjern, according to eye witness reports, the aircraft suddenly dived down and struck fencing running along the railway lines and exploded. It was reported that the aircraft struck a telephone pole near Skjern when bombing a railway line between Tarm and Skjern.
Sgt. Simmonds was thrown clear, however, he succumbed to his injuries the following day at the nearby hospital at Tarm.
Burial details:
The Germans conducted a full military funeral for the members of the crew on the 28th November 1941. Further details of this can be found on the Airmen Denmark website.
Flt Sgt. Russell Hamilton MacMillan. Frederikshavn Cemetery, Allied Plot. Grave 16. Grave inscription: 'IN REMEMBERENCE’. Born on the 11th December 1920 in Hamilton, Ontario . Son of Eben Russell and Beatrice (née Clapperton) MacMillan of Lansing, Ontario, Canada.
Flt Sgt. George Noile Fullerton. Frederikshavn Cemetery, Allied Plot. Grave 15. Born on the 25th February 1915 in McBride, British Columbia. Son of Hugh (deceased) and Emily (née Leah) Fullerton. Husband to Corinne Elizabeth Jessie (née St. Loius) Fullerton of New Westminster, British Columbia., Canada.
Sgt. John Short. Frederikshavn Cemetery, Allied Plot. Grave 15. No further details found.
Sgt. Francis George Simmonds. Frederikshavn Cemetery, Allied Plot. Grave 13. Husband to Mary Ellen Simmonds of Bordesley Green-East, Birmingham, England.
Page placed by Kelvin Youngs (Webmaster) for Wilma Kirkham who contacted us in Jun 2017. Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to sources indicated below. With thanks also to the ‘International Wargraves Photography Project’ for grave photographs. ‘Operation Picture Me’ for photo of the pilot. Also to Anders Straarup of Airman Denmark and Kenneth Kristensen both of whom the webmaster met and spent time with during another dedication ceremony in Denmark. Update to narrative and Next of Kin details by Aircrew Remembered (Jan 2024).
Other Sources listed below:
