97/Johnson Crew: Crash site photo and related items
Name/Title
97/Johnson Crew: Crash site photo and related itemsEntry/Object ID
2022.1.296Description
Items related to the shooting down of the Johnson crew on 18 November 1943Context
English translation (Ellen Greensmith-Kuiper, 2000) of "Lancaster JB367: War Events During the Night of 18-19 November 1943 in Voort", and copy of the same book by Danny Bastyens, published in 1987, Voort, Limburg, Belgium. CREW Pilot: F/Sgt Albert Andrew Johnson, RNZAF, 414635 - Killed, buried at Heverlee War Cemetery Flight Engineer: F/Sgt W Jackson - PoW Navigator: F/L A.W. Pepper - Evader Bomb Aimer: P/O F.T. Williams - Evader W/Op: F/Sgt J.J. Sansam - PoW M/U Gunner: F/Sgt T. Hesselden - Evader Rear Gunner: F/Sgt C.J., known as “Tiger”, Billows - Evader The crew's Lancaster was hit by flak over Aachen. It was abandoned in the vicinity of Bommershoven (Limburg), and crashed at Voort, Belgium. Johnson lost his life giving his crew the best chance to get out of the aircraft. Four of the crew evaded capture and returned to England, an exceptionally high number for that period of the war. Also 13 photographs connected with Tom Hesselden, surviving crew member, who died in 1956, and a CD of crew reunion, 1987 Donated by Richard HesseldenCollection
97 Squadron, Y/M: Small collections or single itemsCategory
QAD: Personal - mixed items, QRB: Evasion and Escape