Operation: De Kooy airfield, Netherlands

Date: 4th June 1941 (Wednesday)

Unit: No 139 Squadron

Type: Blenheim IV

Serial: R3903

Code: DX-R

Base: RAF Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk

Location: West of Bergen-aan-Zee, Netherlands

Pilot: P/O. Wylie Baser 87459 RAFVR Age 20 Killed (1)

Obs: Sgt. Arthur William Simpson NZ/40949 RNZAF Age 32 Killed (2)

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Cyril Ernest Triggs 973935 RAFVR Age 23 Killed (3)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Blenheim R3903 took off from Horsham St. Faith at 19.00hrs with five other aircraft for a bombing operation on De Kooy Airfield (now known as Den Helder airfield) in the Netherlands. The aircraft were attacked by Messerschmitt's Bf109E who shot down two of the Blenheim's. A third Blenheim was so badly damaged that it crash landed on return, seriously injuring two of the crew. Blenheim R3903 was claimed to have been shot down by Uffz Heinrich Nocker 3./JG1, at 20.08hrs and crashed west of Bergen-aan-Zee

De Kooy airfield came under German control during the Second World War and was renamed Fliegerhorst De Kooy. It suffered heavy damage during the war, this was despite the construction of heavy anti-aircraft defences in the area. After the war, the need for a naval air base in the area remained, and the airport was repaired

Burial details:

P/O. Wylie Baser. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 31. Son of William Bell Baser and Agnes Smith Baser of South Shields, Co. Durham. (1) Wylie was born 23 February 1921 in Glasgow, Scotland. Granted a commission as Pilot Officer on probation 16 November 1940. Wylie is remembered on the war memorial of Hutcheson's Grammar School, Glasgow and on the Giffnock War Memorial

Sgt. Arthur William Simpson. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 64. Son of George Spence Simpson and Barbara Simpson of Wanganui, Wellington, New Zealand. Husbanad of Doris Leslie Simpson of Hataitai, Wellington (2) Arthur was born 18 November 1908 in Southbridge, Canterbury. Before enlisted in April 1940 Arthur was an accountant and married in 1940 at St. Michael's Anglican Church, Kelburn. This was thought to be Arthurs 19th Operation and he had a total of 201 flying hours

Sgt. Cyril Ernest Triggs. Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. Panel 53. Son of Ernest Edward and Frances Winifred Triggs of Cardiff (3) Cyril was born in 1918 in Cardiff the eldest child of Ernest and Frances and is remembered on the war memorial, Bethany Church, Cardiff

Researched by: Kate Tame Aircrew Remembered and for all the relatives and friends of the crew. With special thanks to: New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. 1) further information can be found here, Hans Houtman and Jeroen Koppes

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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