This is the second bomberaircraft of the RAF who crashed on the territory of the city Landen (Waasmont, Belgium) on 30/31 May 1942 (first 1000 bomber raid). The crewmembers were:
W/O Hatton J E 566097 (POW)
P/O Harper J 102095 (POW)
F/S Hill R 937296 (POW)
Sgt Collins R J Aus 405035 (Evaded)
Sgt Hindle F R 646157 (POW)
This Wellington W-5586 of 15 OTU was shot down by Niklas Helmut of 6/NJG 1 of the air base Saint-Trond (Brustem).
Who can give me any details about the ORB, Bomber Command Loss Card,AM Form 78... ?? I am also searching after those men or their next-of-kin. Sgt Collins and Sgt Hindle died a few years ago. They both lived in Australia after the war.
Greetings from Belgium
Alexander
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HIS NAME I OFT RECALL. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO ANSWER BUT HIS PICTURE ON THE WALL
My father was the pilot , Jack Hatton. He died in 2000 ay the age of 84. He was a POW until the end of the war. He stayed in the RAF after the war and had further postings to Egypt, France and Germany.
One family of Landen helped him during his first 24 Hrs on occupied Belgian territory. Did he speak about that family? The man of the house (Charles) was a member of the Belgian Underground but, according to what I've heard, your father had to leave the house because of betrayal of other people. He left with a broken ankle and hid nearby another house of the village but was caught by the Germans.
Some documents of the aircraft were hid in the child seat but was never found during the search of the house by the Germans.
Regards,
Alex.
landen4045adtelenet.be
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HIS NAME I OFT RECALL. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO ANSWER BUT HIS PICTURE ON THE WALL
Linda R Ibrom
