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1944-08-19 The loss of Mitchell FW258 NO-C (Bouma)

Crash site: Acqueville, 0.3670W/48.9722N, Calvados, F

Crash cause: shot down by enemy Flak

In this crew of four, three were Engelandvaarders

Name

1. Bouma, Folkert

Folkert Bouma shortly after arriving in the UK, still dressed in the Dutch uniform. Source @St.M.Vl.P. 1939-50

Right: Grebbeberg 090204 Bouma

Rank

Res 1Lt Vl, F/O., Pilot

Decorations

Vliegerkruis

Born

8/6/1921

Place

St. Jacobiparochie,NL

Squadron

RAF 320 (Dutch) Sqn Bomber Command

Ops/hr

45/101

Aircraft

Mitchell Mk. II B-25D Nr. FW258 NO-C

Base

RAF Dunsfold, Surrey, GB

Mission

Flares dropping near Falaise, F; take-off 18/8/1944, 23.05h

Status

KIA, aircraft shot down by enemy Flak

age

23

Killed

19/8/1944

Place

near Acqueville, Calvados, F

Buried

Buried initially at Banneville-la-Campagne British War Cemetery, Calvados, F, joint grave XIV/C/9. Reburied 28/2/1950 at Militair ereveld Grebbeberg, Rhenen, NL, grave 8/20. Source: CAD-MvD 5.050.5220/81

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

no

Other crew

2. Korp Vltg Sch R. Langendam KvV, Ag - KIA

3. Korp Vltg Sch W.A.H. Melissen KvV, Ag - KIA

4. Res Sgt Wnr H.J. Seelig KvV, Copilot/Nav - KIA

Remarks

Married with G.V. Bouma-Cooke of Glasgow, GB. His parents were residing in Harlingen at the time

Vliegerkruis, 14/9/1944 (posthuum)

Gedurende geruimen tijd bij het 320e Squadron R.D.N.A.S. van Onzen Marine Luchtvaartdienst in het Vereenigd Koninkrijk, in oorlogsvluchten tegen den vijand blijk gegeven van moed, bekwaamheid, volharding en plichtsbetrachting.

Memorial

None known

GB arrival

31/5/1940 with Dutch vessel 'Batavier II' from Cherbourg, France, after an escape from Holland on 16/5/1940. Detached KL to KM. Send from England to NEI 1/9/1940 for military flying training.

Data

Confusion

Geldhof (1): crashed near Falaise (which is 17 km SE of Acqueville)

Name

2. Langendam, Rudolf. His real name was Juda Lakmaaker

Grebbeberg 090204 Langendam R

Rank

Korp Vltg Sch, Cpl., Ag

Stb.Nr. 90653/Z

Decorations

Kruis van Verdienste

Born

31/3/1924

Place

Amsterdam, NL

Squadron

RAF 320 (Dutch) Sqn Bomber Command

Ops/hr

Aircraft

Mitchell Mk. II B-25D Nr. FW258 NO-C

Base

RAF Dunsfold, Surrey, GB

Mission

Flares dropping near Falaise, F; take-off 18/8/1944, 23.05h

Status

KIA, aircraft shot down by enemy Flak

age

20

Killed

19/8/1944

Place

near Acqueville, Calvados, F

Buried

Buried initially at Banneville-la-Campagne British War Cemetery, Calvados, F, joint grave XIV/C/9. Reburied 28/2/1950 at Militair ereveld Grebbeberg, Rhenen, NL, grave 8/22

Source: CAD-MvD 5.050.5220/81

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

no

Other crew

1. Res 1Lt Vl F. Bouma VK, Pilot - KIA

3. Korp Vltg Sch W.A.H. Melissen KvV, Ag - KIA

4. Res Sgt Wnr H.J. Seelig KvV, Copilot/Nav - KIA

Remarks

Of Binckhorstlaan 13, Voorburg, NL

Memorial

Vijfluik Loenen, Gelderland, NL

GB arrival

Engelandvaarder. Departed alone on 4/5/1943 at the age of 19. Land route via Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal. Sailed from Lisbon to the UK, where he arrived on 16/10/1943.

Source: NA 2.09.06-12091

Data

Confusion

Geldhof (1): crashed near Falaise (which is 17 km SE of Acqueville)

Name

3. Melissen, Wilhelmus Antonius Henricus

Grebbeberg 090204 Melissen WAH

Rank

Korp Vltg Sch, Cpl., Ag

Stb.Nr. 90651/Z

Decorations

Kruis van Verdienste

Born

5/1/1924

Place

Standaardbuiten, Noord Brabant, NL

Squadron

RAF 320 (Dutch) Sqn Bomber Command

Ops/hr

Aircraft

Mitchell Mk. II B-25D Nr. FW258 NO-C

Base

RAF Dunsfold, Surrey, GB

Mission

Flares dropping near Falaise, F; take-off 18/8/1944, 23.05h

Status

KIA, aircraft shot down by enemy Flak

age

20

Killed

19/8/1944

Place

near Acqueville, Calvados, F

Buried

Buried initially at Banneville-la-Campagne British War Cemetery, Calvados, F, joint grave XIV/C/9. Reburied 28/2/1950 at Militair ereveld Grebbeberg, Rhenen, NL, grave 8/23

Source: CAD-MvD 5.050.5220/81

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

no

Other crew

1. Res 1Lt Vl F. Bouma VK, Pilot - KIA

2. Korp Vltg Sch R. Langendam KvV, Ag - KIA

4. Res Sgt Wnr H.J. Seelig KvV, Copilot/Nav - KIA

Remarks

Married with Mrs E. Melissen-Monaghan of Bedlengton, Northumberland, GB

Memorial

Vijfluik Loenen, Gelderland, NL

GB arrival

Engelandvaarder. Was involved in Resistance activities in Holland. Departure 18/2/1941 via a land route through Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal. Arrival in the UK on 16/10/1943. He blamed the inefficiency of the Dutch representation in Spain for the fact that he had to spend two years in several prisons in Spain.

Source: NA 2.09.06-12114

Data

Confusion

Geldhof (1): crashed near Falaise (which is 17 km SE of Acqueville)

Name

4. Seelig, Hugo Jan Hadiwidjojo

H.J.H. Seelig Source: SLH Grebbeberg 090204 Seelig HJH

Rank

Res Sgt Wnr, Sgt., Copilot/Nav

Stb.Nr. 164997

Decorations

Kruis van Verdienste

Born

8/7/1918

Place

Bandoeng, Java, NEI

Squadron

RAF 320 (Dutch) Sqn Bomber Command

Ops/hr

15/36

Aircraft

Mitchell Mk. II B-25D Nr. FW258 NO-C

Base

RAF Dunsfold, Surrey, GB

Mission

Flares dropping near Falaise, F; take-off 18/8/1944, 23.05h

Status

KIA, aircraft shot down by enemy Flak

age

26

Killed

19/8/1944

Place

near Acqueville, Calvados, F

Buried

Buried initially at Banneville-la-Campagne British War Cemetery, Calvados, F, joint grave XIV/C/9. Reburied 28/2/1950 at Militair ereveld Grebbeberg, Rhenen, NL, grave 8/21

Known to

OGS

yes

CWGC

no

Other crew

1. Res 1Lt Vl F. Bouma VK, Pilot - KIA

2. Korp Vltg Sch R. Langendam KvV, Ag - KIA

3. Korp Vltg Sch W.A.H. Melissen KvV, Ag - KIA

Remarks

Memorial

Vijfluik Loenen, Gelderland, NL

GB arrival

Engelandvaarder

Data

Confusion

Geldhof (1): crashed near Falaise (which is 17 km SE of Acqueville)

Letter of J.N. Mulder, CO of 320 Squadron, informing Mrs. Bouma-Cooke that her husband is missing. Source @St.M.Vl.P. 1939-50

Group grave XIV/C/9 of the Bouma crew in Banneville-la-Campagne British War Cemetery, Calvados, France. Note that the text on the wooden cross states PRES. DIED, presumed date of death, indicating that the crew's initial burial may have taken place quite some time after the crash. Source @St.M.Vl.P. 1939-5

Section of Banneville-la-Campagne British War Cemetery, in February 2006. The cemetery contains the graves of 2.171 Commonwealth servicemen, 2 Polish, and 2 of unknown nationality. Banneville-la-Campagne 060212-3

Acqueville, a rural village in Calvados, known mostly for Château de la Motte, from the 17th Century. Acqueville 060127-4

2. Crash site data

Map 89. Acqueville, Calvados, France, area where Mitchell FW258 crashed in the very early morning of 19/8/1944

The crash led to the loss of life of the four man crew. The site has not been pinpointed.

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