It was on the 24th March 1945 when our crew took off as part of a massive air
offencive, codenamed Operation Varsity. This was to drop troops for the crossing of
the Rhine, west of the German town of Wesel. This was a combined plan involving
British and American forces. The British effort was some 440 tugs and gliders, 200 of
which, were supplied by the Stirling Squadrons, carrying the 6th Airbourne Division.
Our crew reached LZ "P" (landing zone), and succesfully released the Horsa
Glider, then they were hit on the turn by flak which burst behind the second pilots
seat. Pilot Vanrenen and W/Op Chalk, who was standing behind the pilots seats were
injured. The blast had rendered the starboard engine controls useless but Vanrenen
flew on, and belly landed the aircraft in a field near a village called Overloon in the
south east of Holland. They managed to get the injured clear of the aircraft before it
exploded, but the explosion never came. Within a few minutes a party of British
soldiers drove up,and the injured were taken to a field hospital while the others were
taken to Brussels and a flight home. This was the last time the crew flew together,
and as far as we gather, most of the crew didnt see each other again.
The two photos above were taken just after the crash. They were taken by a gent
from the village of Overloon, of course the village had turned out to see this great
thing that had come down near to them. In the first photo is Tammas (standing)
Holmes, Jones and Handley sat on the wing. The woman in front is we think the wife
of the gent taking the photo. In the second photo is Handley and Tammas, looking
relieved i think, that this great aircraft was brought down with great skill by their
skipper. I recieved these photos in 1995, and up to then i dont think they had been
seen outside the village.
A footnote to the crash, is a story my dad liked to tell when i was younger. he said
that when they came down, they didnt know whether they were in friendly or enemy
lines. They got out of the aircraft and were sat hiding behind a wall, when Vanrenen
drew his service pistol and said "Men if the Germans come we will defend ourselves"
which the reply came back "Henry, if the Germans come we are bloody surrendering"
Whether this is true i dont know, but it makes a good tale.
