De Havilland Mosquito Mk VI, HX966, EG-D, RNZAF 487 sqn.

On December 10th, 1943, after a sweep over Rütenbrock and Nordhorn, at approximately 14:35, Mosquito HX966 crashed on an acre of land opposite of the Purit factory in the village of Klazienaveen opposite the Purit plant, killing both crew members.

According his report, the group commander of the local police, 2nd Lt. J.J. Scheepmaker, witnessed the following:

• a fully demolished airplane of which the (burning) wreckage was scattered over a vast area.
• In between the wreckage, human body parts were observed.
• two unexploded bombs and some ammunition.
• a third unexploded bomb behind the property of farmer J. Kroeze at 47 Mr. Ovingstraat, more than 600 meters from the crash location.

In the vicinity of this last bomb also the body was found of superintentant Christiaan Kwint (*14-09-1907), living at 38 Molenwijk OZ, who presumably was there to get some potatoes. M.D. S. Haverkamp diagnosed “fracture of the skull and crushed torso” as the cause of death. It is assumed that Kwint was hit by the falling bomb, a sad case of “being at the wrong place at the wrong time”, according to his grandson. He was buried in the Common Cemetery of Klazienaveen.

487 Squadron lost two Mosquitos this operation, HX966 and HX975. Mosquito HX975, EG-O crashed near Den Ham (near Almelo, Overijssel province) in the Netherlands. The two crewmembers of the other Mosquito, F/S T. Mair and W/O K.L.O. Blow are buried at Den Ham General Cemetery.

Entry from the original RAF War diary on that date

12/13 December 1943

Mosquitos: 20 to Essen, 9 to Düsseldorf, 1 to Osnabrück, 4 RCM sorties, 4 OTU sorties. 1 Mosquito lost on the Essen raid.

editor: 487 sqn had transferred to 2nd TAF in June of this year. Apparently their sortie records were not kept in this diary.

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