RNZAF Ramrod raid on Amsterdam. May 3rd 1943

[Alex van de Wetering]

The remainder of the Ventura bombers continued over the coast towards Bennebroek (south of Haarlem, South-West of Amsterdam), chased by the German fighters.
Eye witness accounts describe a true air battle with the Ventura's basically being sitting ducks.

Ventura AE684/ EG-B was attacked close to Bennebroek, when air gunner Sgt. Sparkes returned fire from the turret. Wireless operator/gunner Sgt. Stannard describes the plane was hit, silencing the turret and killing Sparkes. The plane was on fire and Stannard tried to reach the escape hatch and parachute which he both found to be on fire as well. He returned to the tail, but did see Pilot Coshall an Observer North escape from the plane. After a loud bang, Stannard saw the front section of the plane break away, exposing him in the tail of the plane. Somehow the tail didn't drop to the ground as you would expect, but it slowly fell like the leaf of a tree. The tail dropped into the trees between "Huis te Bennebroek" and "Reek" in Bennebroek. Stannard woke up in Huis te Bennebroek with only minor injuries. Stannard and North bacame POWs and survived the war.
Pilot Coshall's parachute was hit by German fire, so he didn't survive. Coshall and Sparkes are buried at the Bergen cemetery in Bergen (near Alkmaar).


Pilot F/O. S. Coshall (RAF)
Observer F/O. R.A. North (RAF)
Wireless op Sgt. W. Stannard (RAF)
Air gunner Sgt. G.H. Sparkes (RAF)

A painting of Ventura AE684 is displayed at the Crash museum in Aalsmeer showing Stannard in the tail (picture attached), along with at least one of the dials from the plane.

Alex