RNZAF Ramrod raid on Amsterdam. May 3rd 1943

[Alex van de Wetering]

12 Ventura's took off from Methwold at 16:43. They met up with the Spitfire escorts at Coltishall at 17:00 hours. One of the Ventura's, EG-Q, of Sgt A.G. Barker showed damage to the excape hatch and returned to Methwold, leaving 11 Ventura's for the bombing raid.

The intention was to fly low level to the Dutch coast and climb to bombing height when crossing the coast.....all to avoid attention from German fighters. However, the 11 Wing Spitfires had already alerted the Germans at that time as they reached the Dutch coast early.....and they flew too high which meant that German Focke Wolf 190's and Messerschmitt 109's were soon swarming the area. Some sources mention 50+ German fighters, other mention even more, 80+.
The 122 and 453 sq Spits had to return to the UK when running low on fuel, so all German fighters went after the Ventura's and their Spitfire escorts. It seems the 190's were tasked with attacking the Spitfire escorts, while the 109's attacked the Ventura's.

Attached is a layout of the 11 remaining Ventura's for the raid. picture taken at "Fort Veldhuis" museum of the Aircraft Recovery Group 1940-1945

[Alex van de Wetering]

AE916, EG-C of Fl/Lt Arthur Victor Duffill was the first Ventura that got hit. Two crew members were wounded and one of the engines was on fire. The bombbay doors were open and the bombs were dropped over sea, when Duffill turned around and flew the plane back to RAF Feltwell.....the old home base of 487 Squadron. Duffill made a succesfull emergency landing and the two wounded crew members were quickly rushed to hospital. Even though this was one of only 2 Ventura's that got back to the UK, the plane was considered a totall loss.

The crew were awarded:
Distinguished flying cross
Fl/Lt Arthur Victor Duffill, pilot
F/O Frederick John Starkie, navigator

Distinguished flying medal
Sgt.Alan William Turnbull, Wireless operator/air gunner
Sgt. Laurence Henry Neill, Air gunner

More can be found here: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/.../2320/data.pdf

After the war Duffill became managing director of Humbrol modelling paints.

Attached is a picture of Ventura AE916, EG-C after landing at RAF Feltwell. source: http://www.aircrewremembered.com

[Alex van de Wetering]

Ventura AE956 EG-H was presumed to be lost over sea. The location of the crash is not known. All four crew members were killed. The body of Navigator Richbell washed ashore in Germany weeks later. He was buried at the Hamburg cemetery. The Other three crew members were never found, but they are remembered at the Runnymede memorial in the UK.

Crew:
Pilot: Pilot Officer Andrew Edward Coutts
Wireless operator/Air gunner: Sergeant Douglas Cory Robinson (RAF)
Navigator: Flying Officer Leonard Edmund Richbell (RAF)
Air gunner: Flight Sergeant William Desmond Laurence Goodfellow




Ventura AE798 EG-D was also lost over sea. In this case the location is given as "crashed Northsea off Noordwijkerhout at 17:45".
The body of navigator Toombs washed ashore 2 July 1943 At Langeoog, Germany. He is buried at the Sage War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany. No other crew members were recovered, but they are remembered at the Runnymede memorial in the UK.

Crew:
Pilot: Sergeant J.J. Lowe (RAF)
Navigator: Sergeant H.W. Toombs (RCAF)
Wireless operator: Sergeant J.C. Lynass (RCAF)
Air gunner: Sergeant A.E. Downs (RAF)

The Dutch Airwar Study group has a record for Ventura AE798 with details on who shot down the plane
https://www.verliesregister.studiegr...rea=&airfield=

[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

[Alex van de Wetering]

AE684 / EG-B


In official reports the crash location is given as "Leidsevaart, Bennebroek", but eye witness accounts from Bennebroek give a more detailed location. The frontmost section of the plane crashed into a farmers field which was known as "Lage duin" in those days. Nowadays this is a residential area. (first picture)
One of the engines dropped through the roof of the local Butcher shop. The roof was fixed and the butcher shop was still in business in the 60's. Today the building has been replaced by a modern house (second picture)

As mentioned above the tail section dropped down close to the ditch, separating the houses from the "Reek" and the villa "Huis te Bennebroek". I tried working out the exact location and think it might have been behind "Reek 18" or maybe a bit further towards the Ringvaart.
My grandpa lived at Reek 10 at the time! Sadly I never had a chance to ask him if he remembers the bombers.
"Huis te Bennebroek" has been replaced by a big retirement home in the meantime.

The Dutch Airwar Study group has a record for Ventura AE684
https://www.verliesregister.studiegr...rea=&airfield=

Alex