WIX Archives

Re: The Biesbosch Defiant, the final story (or not)

Posted by Cees Broere on Tue Jan 15, 2002 03:10:51 AM

In reply top The Defiant in the Biesbosch-museum posted by Benno T6 Goethals on Mon Jan 14, 2002 07:23:02 AM

: The remains on display at the Biesbosch museum in Werkenda
: m are from L6958 (PS-?). Crew were P/O SR Thomas and LACS
: JS Bromley. The first remains of the wreck were found by d
: ivers in the early nineties. A book "Luchtgevechten boven
: West-Brabant en de Biesbosch" from Jan Jolie was officiall
: y presented (I was there !) to the public on May 21, 2000.
: Main subject in the book is L6958, but there is also a de
: scription for example about L6977 (PS-U) that crashed on t
: he very same day near Oosteind. Crew Flt. PEJ Greenhouse a
: nd Sgt. ED Greenhalgh. A couple of years ago a monument ne
: ar the crashlocation was unveiled (also thanks to Jan Joli
: e !)

Hi all

Ik talked to Jan Jolie on the phone yesterday evening and he told me the following:

The wreck was found by a private individual who found it necessary to recover the spine of the turret gunner and put it on his mantlepiece (the story is thus true!!!!!!). During this time the machine gun and engine were also recoverd. When this became known the police were notified and they tried to take action against this person but he refused to cooperate. This case caught the attention of the local Mayor, and the recovery unit of the RNethAF was called in who recovered what was left of the Defiant-wreck (1994). These remains were put in a container and probably ended up on the scrapheap. Mr Jolie managed to retrieve the control column which he has in his possession. Mr Jolie had contacted the CWGC in order to have the missing person listed as found so that he would get a decent burial. But as the person who recovered him still doesn't cooperate the CWGC are reluctant to accept it. So there is still a missing person who isn't actually missing but through the actions of a selfish, inhuman b*****d will probably remain so. I'm ashamed that such a thing could have happened in our country. But Mr Jolie said he will keep on trying to solve this matter with the CWGC, I hope he succeeds.

Cees

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