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1943-10-20 The loss of Zeger Dekkers

Crash site: Culworth Grounds Farm, Oxfordshire, GB. The farm stretches from the south of Culworth to half way to Thorpe Mandeville, NE of Banbury.

Crash cause: due to overshoot.

Name

1. Dekkers, Zeger Willem Casper

Rank

Sgt van Speciale Dienst z/m, Sgt., Pilot

RAF VR 1649902

Decorations

None known

Born

7/8/1916

Place

Rotterdam, NL

Squadron

No.12 OTU

Ops/hr

Aircraft

Wellington Mk. III Nr. Z1717

Base

RAF Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire, GB

Mission

Training night flying

Status

KIFA, due to overshoot

age

27

Killed

20/10/1943

Place

Culworth Grounds, Oxfordshire, GB

Buried

Banbury Southam Road Cemetery, Oxfordshire, GB, grave 11652

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

yes

Other crew

2. Sgt. Donald Alfred Ross Colegate, Nav, RAF VR 1389344,

age 27 – KIFA, buried Banbury Southam Road Cemetery, Oxfordshire, GB, grave 11651

3. Sgt. Kenneth Joseph Gehrmann, RAAF 426871, age 20 – KIFA, buried Botley Cemetery, North Hinksey, Oxfordshire, GB, grave I/2/92

4. F/O. Walter David Newel, Ab, RCAF J/25079, age 22 - KIFA, buried Botley Cemetery, North Hinksey, Oxfordshire, GB, grave I/2/92A

5. F/Sgt. John Raymond Burton, RAAF 417333, age 26 - KIFA, buried Botley Cemetery, North Hinksey, Oxfordshire, GB, grave I/2/92B

6. W/O. Ivan Kenealy Nicoll, Nav U/T, RAF VR 1002233,

age 22 - KIFA, buried Botley Cemetery, North Hinksey, Oxfordshire, GB, grave I/2/92C

Remarks

Memorial

Mill Hill Memorial Table, London, GB

GB arrival

Data

Confusion

OGS: died Banbury

Gedenkrol KM: crashed near Chipping Warden

Bill Chorley, 'Bomber Command Losses', part 7 page 256, places J.R. Burton and I.K. Nicoll in Whitley BD280. Source: Henk Welting

Mill Hill


The graves of Z.W.C. Dekkers (left) and D.A.R. Colegate at

Banbury Southam Road Cemetery. Banbury 050620 D&C

The other four members of the Dekkers crew are buried next to each other in Botley Cemetery, North Hinksey, Oxfordshire. Left to right: 1. Sgt. K.J. Gehrmann RAAF, age 20. 2. F/O. W.D. Newel RCAF, age 22. 3. F/Sgt. J.R. Burton RAAF, age 26. 4. I.K. Nicoll, age 22. Botley 050620 Dekkers crew


Map 38. Culworth Grounds, crash area of Wellington Z1717 (Dekkers) Culworth Grounds, SE of RAF Chipping Warden, area where Wellington Z1717 crashed after the aircraft overshot the landing strip. Z.W.C. Dekkers and the five non-Dutch other crew were killed.


Culworth Grounds, beyond the end of the short runway of RAF Chipping Warden, crash area of Wellington Mk. III Nr. Z1717. Culworth Grounds 070126-3

3. Remains of RAF Chipping Warden

After the War, the runway was removed, and the land retransformed into farmland. Several structures of former RAF Chipping Warden are still there in 2007, notably parts of the control tower, and many bomb shelters. Corrugated WW2 iron, formerly roofing RAF buildings, is still abundant.

Terrain of former RAF Chipping Warden. The taller structure is the remains of the control tower, the other structures visible are bomb shelters. Chipping Warden 070126-13


One of several bomb shelters of former RAF Chipping Warden, that survive to this day in 2007.

Chipping Warden 070126-3


Interior of one of the many RAF Chipping Warden bomb shelters, that survived to this day in 2007. We see RAF fuel cans and other debris. Chipping Warden 070126-8


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