Operation: Stand Patrol (1)

Date: 02nd December 1941 (Tuesday)

Unit: No. 320 Squadron (Dutch) 18 Group (motto: Animo libre dirigimur - 'We are guided by the mind of liberty')

Type: Hudson III

Serial: V9036

Code: NO-O

Base: RAF Leuchars, Scotland

Location: Elle, Norway

Pilot: P/O. Jan Dirk Dolman. RNNAF Age 30. Killed

Obs: Cpl. Hendrikus Wilhelmus de Lijn. RNNAF Age 24. Killed

W/Op/Air/Gnr: Sgt. Klasinus van Tongeren DFM. RNNAF Age 29. Killed (2)

Air/Gnr: Mariner 2. Antoon Bom KMR (Royal Netherlands Marines) Age 23. Killed

Page constructed with the research compiled by the late Rob Philips.

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 16:45 hrs on a 'Stand Patrol' (see 1).

Shot down by Ltn. Edgar Habermann of I./JG77 flying a BF109 out of Lista airfield (see Kracker Luftwaffe Archive on this site)

A Mr. Rob Venema submitted the following statement to Rob Philips in 2005:

'One of the conversations with the daughter Van Tongeren at the time revealed, among other things, that she and her mother visited the grave in the early 1950s. There they spoke with an eyewitness of the crash who said that he - the eyewitness - was quite quickly at the crash location. And had taken several victims from the wreckage there. This eyewitness told them that he had to act quickly as the Germans were already on their way. This Norwegian had preserved and given to Mrs. Van Tongeren remnants of the sailor hat 'Royal Navy' that came from one of the victims. It was not clear whether these had belonged to K. van Tongeren, but Mrs. Van Tongeren had accepted them in great gratitude and had always regarded them as pieces of her husband's'.

(1) Stand Patrol - anti-shipping in thee area of Stavanger to Kristiansand.

(2) DFM Award: 10th January 1941: 'Lieutenant Heije Schaper (3), Sub-Lieutenant Willem Jacobus Ritte (3) and Corporal Van Tongeren were pilot, navigator and wireless operator gunner respectively of a Fokker seaplane detailed to undertake a special mission of the very greatest importance involving unusual preparation courage and initiative of a high order. Moreover the operation involved landing and taking off in enemy territory at night without assistance of any kind. Intense opposition from machine guns and searchlights was encountered at a height of less than 100 feet. Sub-Lieutenant Ritte received the entire bust of tracer bullets at point blank range. Fortunately the burst was deflected by the bomb sight but splinters sprayed this officer's legs, face, hands and chest. Corporal Van Tongeren displayed extreme coolness and qualities of a high order in keeping his gun in action despite the fact that he was wounded in his leg and had his gun nocked out of his hands. Lieutenant Schaper succeeded, by his determination and courage, in bringing his severely damaged aircraft back to base with both members of his crew wounded. Although suffering from loss of blood, Sub-Lieutenant Ritte continued to navigate the aircraft and so enabled his pilot to make a safe landing in the most difficult circumstances. Lieutenant Schaper, Sub-Lieutenant Ritte and Corporal Van Tongeren formed a team whose perfect co-operation alone enabled them to extricate themselves from what might have been a hopeless situation'.

(3) Lieutenant Heije Schaper - taken PoW on the 30th May 1942, survived the war. Later became secretary to the Minister of Defence, passed away on the 26th May 1996. Sub-Lieutenant Willem Jacobus Ritte DFC Missing - believed killed 30th July 1943.

Burial details:

Initially in a group grave near the crash site, reburied after the end of the war.

P/O. Jan Dirk Dolman. (Vestre Gravlund) Oslo Western Civil Cemetery. Dutch Field of Honour. Born on the 12th June 1911. No further details - are you able to assist?

Cpl. Hendrikus Wilhelmus de Lijn (Vestre Gravlund) Oslo Western Civil Cemetery. Dutch Field of Honour. Born on the 16th May 1917. No further details - are you able to assist?

Sgt. Klasinus van Tongeren DFM (Vestre Gravlund) Oslo Western Civil Cemetery. Dutch Field of Honour. Born on the 02nd December 1912. His birthday on the day of his death. No further details - are you able to assist?

Mariner 2. Antoon Bom (Vestre Gravlund) Oslo Western Civil Cemetery. Dutch Field of Honour. Born on the 17th August 1918. No further details - are you able to assist?

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the late Rob Philips and his extensive research, other sources as quoted below:

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