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B-25 (41-12571) RAF Crash Memorial

<< Back to Tréauville

Details:

In Treauville's main town square.
There is also a plaque on the town's war memorial across from the church and in front of the town hall.
Monument


A thumbs-up shaped rock with gold lettering commemorating the B-25 aircrews that died during their bombing runs over the area. Of the three RAF bombers, two were shot down by flak, one colliding with another (containing US pilot Lt Solheim) and causing its demise.

LT William A Solheim, an American Air Corps Pilot flying with 180 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF), is buried in the Commonwealth War Groves Cemetery (CWGC) Cherbourg Old Communal Cemetery nearby this memorial.

Monument Text:

A LA MEMOIRE

DES EQUIPAGES DES 3 AVIONS B-25 DE LA RAF

TOMBES SUR LA COMMUNE DE TREAUVILLE

LE 26-11-1943

HONNEUR ET RECONNAISSANCE

 

-A LA GIOTERIE-

R. R. HOWLETT

Anglais

24 ans

C. S. GRAVES

Anglais

21 ans

F. B. DIXON

Anglais

23 ans

G. J. SAUNDERS

Anglais

 

 

 

-A LA CHAUVINERIE-

W. A. SOLHEIM

Americain

24 ans

C. G. UNDERWOOD

Australien

29 ans

J. PAINTING

Australien

26 ans

S. R. TROMAN

Canadien

22 ans

 

 

-AU PONT SOREL-

J. A. KOK

Neerlandais

25 ans

J. H. H. DE LA HAIJE

Neerlandais

23 ans

R. OVERWIJN

Neerlandais

Evade

D. J. KONING

Neerlandais

fait prisonnier

 

 

INAUGURE LE 08 MAI 2004

 

 

English translation:

 

In memory of the three RAF B-25 crews that crashed over Treauville on 11-26-1943

Honor and recognition

 

-At Gioterie-

R.R. Howlett English 21 years old

C.S. Graves English 21 years old

F.B. Dixon English 23 years old

G.J. Saunders English

 

-At Chauvinerie-

W.A. Solheim American 24 years old

C.G. Underwood Australian 29 years old

J. Painting Australian 26 years old

S.R. Troman Canadian 22 years old

 

-At Pont Sorel-

J.A. Kok Dutch 25 years old

J.H.H. de la Haije Dutch 23 years old

R. Overwijn Dutch escaped

D.J. Koning Dutch POW

 

Inaugurated on May 8th 2004

 

 

War Memorial Plaque:

 

HONNEUR ET RECONNAISSANCE

AUX AVIATEURS ALLIES

TOMBES LE 26-11-1943

 

 

English translation:

Honor and recognition to the Allied airmen who fell on 11-26-1943

 

 

 

Left plaque at the right side of the monument, inscribed in English:

 

TREAUVILLE 26th NOVEMBER 1943


On the 26th of November 1943. 49 Royal Air Force B-25 Mitchell bombers from the 2nd Tactical Air Force, divided into 2 formations took port in a raid against military construction works at Couville. The first formation of 25 planes dropped its bomb load just before 15:00 hours but one 320 Squadron Mitchell was hit and shot down by the German anti fire. A crew on 4 men was onboard

 

Pilot

Sergeant

J. A. Kok

Dutch

Navigator

Sergeant

R. Overwijn

Dutch

Radio Operator

Sergeant

H. H. De La Haije

Dutch

Air gunner

Corporal

D. J. Koning

Dutch

 

Only sergeant Overwijn and corporal Koning managed to bail out of the plane which crashed at Pont Sorel, less than one kilometre east of the memorial, bringing into death the pilot and the radio operator. Koning would be taken prisoner and Ovenwijn evaded capture. The Wright R-2600 "Cyclone" 14 cylinders in double row engine displayed here was mounted on this plane and recovered in 1993.

 

The second formation of 24 planes was badly shaken by anti aircraft fire. One 180 Squadron bomber was severely hit by flak and started to go down out of control. On his way down, it collided in mid air with another B-25 Mitchell from the very same Squadron. 

 

The first Mitchell fell to pieces in the air over La Giolerie, 500 meters south of the memorial. Three of the crewmembers were thrown out of the plane and killed; the pilot was recovered burned to death in the wreckage of the plane:

 

Pilot

Flight Sergeant

R. R. Howlett

U.K.

Navigator

Sergeant

C. S. Groves

U.K.

Radio Operator

Sergeant

G. J. Sounders

U.K.

Air Gunner

Warrant Officer

F. B. Dixon

U.K.

 

The second Mitchell crashed one kilometre south-west of the memorial, only 80 meters away from Lo Chauvinerie farm. All the crew perished burned to death:

 

Pilot

Lieutenant

W. A. Solheim

U.S.A.

Navigator

Flight Sergeant

C. G. Underwood

Australia

Radio Operator

Warrant Officer

J. Painting

Australia

Air Gunner

Flight Sergeant

S. R. Troman

Canada

 

A third 180 Squadron B-25 Mitchell disappeared into the Channel off Cap de Flamanville, the bodies of the four crewmembers would never be found. They are all commemorated on the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede. This memorial commemorates by name over 20,000 airmen who were lost in the Second World War during operations in Europe, and who have no known graves.

Commemorates:

People:

William Andersen Solheim

Units:

Royal Air Force (RAF)

United States Air Force

US Army Air Corps

Wars:

WWII

Other images :