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Halifax - Hank, Holland

After a long campaign the crew of a Halifax have been recovered from a Dutch polder at Hank. The campaign was led by Philip de Witt of the Salvage Halifax 1944 Foundation.

Towns folk raised 34,000 Euros by public subscription to sponsor the recovery which was led by the Dutch Air Force salvage director, Hans Spierins.

The details are:

Halifax LV905 78 Sqn
01.30 Hrs 25 May 1944
Crashed near Hank, Holland

Crew:
Pilot Officer Eric Benjamin Wilson (Pilot)
Flying Officer Sidney Glen Peterson (Navigator)
Flying Officer Norman Allan Marston DFC (Bomb Aimer)
Flight Sergeant Joe Henderson (Wireless Op)
Sergeant William John White (Flight Engineer)
Flight Sergeant Joseph Thomas Lloyd LeBlanc (Rear Turret)
Sergeant George Herbert Butler (Mid-Upper)

The bomber was shot down by Oberfeldwebel Karl-Heinz Scherfling BF 110 G4 NJG1

Roy Petersen, brother of the navigator, provided this story of his quest to see the bodies recovered to the Vancouver Sun newspaper in his native Canada.

For detailed reports and photographs of the recovery, readers are urged to follow these links:

http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/regioportal/BD/1,1478,14605-DossierHalifax-Dossiers!Regio!,00.html
Newspaper report in Dutch

http://home.hetnet.nl/~pdw34/OHHalifax.htm revised site in Dutch

http://home.hetnet.nl/~pdw34/OHHalifaxEN.htm old site in English

http://home.hetnet.nl/~pdw34/Kort_nieuws.htm Dutch language report

 

 

The huge area excavated near Hank, Holland.

Remains of one of the smashed engines.

 

Excavation leader Hans Spierins.
One of propeller blades and hub.

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