BK726
Crashes > of the R.A.F.
During the approach to the bombing raid on Bochum, the Stirling III, BK726 was attacked by night fighters.
Ofw Fritz Schellwat of the 5th / NJG 1 hit the aircraft, which immediately caught fire and exploded in the air with a full bomb load. Most of the aircraft crashed in an open field about 450 metres south of the road to Erkelenz between Immerath and Holzweiler. It burned out completely for several hours.
Five crew members were rescued completely burnt by the local fire brigade and taken to Mönchen-Gladbach, where they were buried in the local cemetery.
One crew member, probably Fl/Sgt Donald Francis McDonald, survived the crash with serious injuries and was rescued by civilians.
There are differing accounts of how the injured Canadian was handled. In a Canadian report prepared after the war to identify the crew, it is reported that McDonald was rescued by the head of the fire brigade, J. Verhey. ‘ He gave him water, but he died a few hours later. He is described as a Canadian with dark hair and bulging lips.’
McDonald's recovery is described differently in ‘ War Memoirs of a Young Air Raid Warden’ by Walter Corsten:
‘ Crash of a four-engined bomber heading towards Holzweiler...When I arrived at the burning aircraft, I could already hear the ammunition exploding. I could recognise one crew member. As I approached on all fours, he shouted ‘Help. Help.’ Together with several people from Holzweiler, we carried him to the chapel in Holzweiler. He was very badly injured and kept calling for ‘water, water’, all at night. The Holzweiler local group leader Baumanns came along and said ‘He's not getting any water’ ..... The Canadian pilot died that night.’ ....Fl/Sgt.McDonald was also buried in Mönchen Gladbach.
On 16 May 1943, the completely destroyed and burnt body of another crew member was found in the cockpit of the aircraft. He was buried as an ‘unknown dead person’ in the Immerath cemetery.
Additional sources:
Walter Corsten, ‘ War memoirs of a young air raid warden’ in : Virtuelles-museum.com
Archive report in: Aircrew-remenbered.com
Above:
The crash area of the BK726 between Holzweiler and Immerath
Top left and centre:
Wreckage of the exploded Stirlling III, BK726
Source for all photos:
Archive Report in: Aircrew-remembered.com
bottom left:
three members of the crew
Source: Archive Report in : Aircrewremembered.com