Operation: Bremen, Germany

Date: 25th/26th June 1942 (Thursday/Friday)

Unit No: 23 Operational Training Unit (OTU), 6 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Wellington IC

Serial: DV475

Code: BY:G

Unit: RAF Pershore, Worcestershire

Location: Azelo, Overijssel, 5 km north of Delden, Holland

Pilot: Flt Sgt. John Keith Crossing R95095 RCAF Age 22. KiA

Observer: Sgt. Ronald Arthur ‘Ronnie’ Chapman 1046424 RAFVR Age 28. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. Thomas Henry Inch 656709 RAF Age 24. KiA

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. John Reginald Jones 1023907 RAFVR Age 28. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Joseph Swales 1378431 RAFVR Age 31. KiA

Above: Flt Sgt. John K. Crossing (Courtesy of The Winnipeg Tribune, dated 29th June 1942)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the night of the 25th/26th June 1942 DV475 took off from RAF Pershore at 22:33 hrs and joined the third and final 1000 Bomber raid on Bremen in Germany. The force comprised 904 Main Force and OTU bombers plus 102 Hudsons and Wellingtons from Coastal Command.

DV475 was amongst the 48 losses involved in the raid. This was a loss rate of 5% which was a new record loss for Bomber Command.

DV475 was claimed by Oblt. Werner Rowlin from 8./NJG1, his 4th Abschuss, 3 km SW of Borne, NW of Hengelo at 02:56 hrs (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (13 July 1941 - 29 May 1942) The Early Years Part 2 - Theo Boiten)

Oblt. Rowlin was KiA on the night of the 29th/30th June 1942 when his Bf110 D-0 G9+MS was shot down in air combat. His Funker, Fw. Wehner baled out wounded before the Messerschmitt crashed at Ehren, Westphalia. He was credited with four (4) confirmed Abschüsse. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

The aircraft crashed at Azelo, Overijssel, 5 km north of Delden, Holland killing the five (5) crew.

Above: The information board describes, in Dutch, three (3) events that took place during WW2 in the area of Delden (Courtesy of Leonie Rupert)

Left to right: The crash of Wellington IC DV721; A weapons drop to the partisans; The crash and loss of Aart Albert Homburg

Translation of the Message Board:

26 JUNI 1942:

DV721 is described in the report;

1944:

In the Goormeen, close to this junction of roads, arms drops took place on behalf of the Hilbrink resistance group from Zenderen. People from the local population - at the risk of their own lives - transported weapons and ammunition, among other things, by horse and cart to a warehouse in the former Zwanenhof monastery. A monument with information about the Hilbrink resistance group stands on the Retraitehuis road in Zenderen;

1 APRIL 1945:

Aart Albert Homburg, born 12 June 1917, fought the Germans in May 1940 and managed to get to England in March 1941. In September 1941, he was posted back to the Netherlands as a secret agent and established contacts with the resistance. After being betrayed and imprisoned, Ab Homburg managed to escape and reach England again in February 1942 as a stowaway. There he trained as a pilot. As a Reserve 1st lieutenant, Ab Homburg was part of the 322 "Dutch" squadron of the RAF. On 1 April 1945, he and nine other aircraft carried out an armed reconnaissance flight.

Around 11am, north of Oude Veenweg, his Spitfire Mk XVI was hit by anti-aircraft fire in which he was killed.

He was buried in his birthplace IJmuiden. Ab Homburg was awarded the Bronze Lion twice and is known as "The forgotten soldier of Orange".

Burial Details:

Above the nine (9) commonwealth graves at the Ambt-Delden General Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission).

(Courtesy of Wouter van Dijken-FindAGrave)

Flt Sgt. John Keith Crossing. Ambt-Delden General Cemetery Plot IB. Row K. Grave 2. Grave Inscription: ‘TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE IS NOT TO DIE.’ Born on the 2nd April 1920 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Son of Gerald Price and Christine (née Tullock) Crossing of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Husband of Eleanor Ruth (née Bailey) Crossing of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

(Courtesy of Wouter van Dijken-FindAGrave)

Sgt. Ronald Arthur ‘Ronnie’ Chapman. Ambt-Delden General Cemetery Plot IB. Row K. Coll. Grave 3-5. Born on the 25th May 1914 in Croydon, Surrey. Son of Sidney and Mary (née Cashmore) Chapman of Croydon, Surrey. Husband of Rose Eva Annie (née Porter) Chapman, Croydon, Surrey, England.

(Courtesy of Wouter van Dijken-FindAGrave)

Sgt. Thomas Henry Inch. Ambt-Delden General Cemetery Plot IB. Row K. Coll. Grave 3-5. Grave Inscription: ‘DARLING HUSBAND OF IVY PRECIOUS DADDY OF JANET AND MARILYN. "UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN"’. Born on the 25th March 1918 in Newton Abbot, Devon. Son of Dorothy Agnes Inch of Newton Abbot, Devon. Husband of Ivy Hooper (née Stigings) Inch of St. Thomas, Exeter, England.

(Courtesy of Wouter van Dijken-FindAGrave)

Sgt. John Reginald Jones. Ambt-Delden General Cemetery Plot IB. Row K. Coll. Grave 3-5. Grave Inscription: ‘LOVED WITH A LOVE BEYOND ALL WORDS; LOST WITH A GRIEF BEYOND ALL TEARS’. Born on the 13th June 1914 in Wirral, Liverpool. Son of John Richard and Margaret (née Messenger) Jones. Husband of Edith (née Vernon) Jones of Fazakerley, Liverpool, England.

(Courtesy of Wouter van Dijken-FindAGrave)

Sgt. Joseph Swales. Ambt-Delden General Cemetery Plot IB. Row K. Coll. Grave 3-5. Grave Inscription: ‘"UNTIL THE DAY BREAK" LOVING WIFE MARJORIE, DAUGHTER SHEILA AND ALL THE FAMILY’. Born on the 24th March 1911 in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire. Son of Frank and Lucy Hannah (née Haley) Swales. Husband of Marjorie (née Sutton) Swales of Gomersal, Yorkshire, England.

Researched by Ralph Snape from Aircrew Remembered as dedicated to this crew and their families. Thanks to Leonie Rupert for the information board (Jun 2025).

Other sources listed below:

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