Armstrong Withworth Whitley MK V N1357 KN-H lost at Rotterdam (Pernis) on 28-03-1940 (SGLO ref: T0013)
At the date of 28-03-1940, time: 0700, the aircraft type Whitley has been lost. The location of the plane was found at: Rotterdam -. The unit of crew and plane is: 77 Sqdn. First flyer rank: Flying Officer, name: T.J. Geach. The plane belonged to the Allied forces.
Time 0700. Cause of the crash: Shot down by Fokker G1 Mercury, Lt. P.Noomen of 3 JaVa
Crash Location: Crash landed Vondelingenweg Pernis, Province Zuidholland
- Pilot F/O. T.J. Geach 33311 RAF Survived Interned, returned to UK
- Co-Pilot F/O. W.J. Copinger RAF Survived Interned, returned to UK
- Observer Sgt. J.E. Miller 580921 RAF Rotterdam LL-1-1
- Wo ag Aircm 2 R.B. Barrie RAF Injured, interned, returned to UK Survived
- Wo ag Lac. S.H.E. Caplin RAF Survived Interned, returned to UK
Archive H. Welting for crew data. Claim time 0530 hrs; "Fokker G-1" Vol II, p.62 by Stichting Fokker G-1 for story and picture
Source: Chorley W.R., Bomber Command Losses 1939-1940
Contribution (photo's and story) of Bruce Barrie, the son of R.B. Barrie
My father's Whitley Bomber crashed near Pernis in 1940. They were lost after bombing in Germany and strayed over the Ducth boarder in a snow blizzard. They were shot down by a Dutch Fokker G-1 fighter (first shot in anger of this fighter type), a Stg Millar (Canadian Bombardier) was the only death, the rest of the crew including my father Robert Barrie (with several bullet and shrapnel wounds) survived in a crash landing. My father was a rear gunner in an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley MK V KN-H from 77 Squadron RAF based in Driffield, Yorkshire - Number 4 Group Bomber Command. The crew were interned in Fort Spijkerboor until the German attack in May and then released and they got back to England, my father passed away in 2006 aged 85 (still with a Dutch bullet lodged near his spine).
Photo (click on the photo to enlarge): This was taken in late 1939 in France my father (Barrie) is on the left facing the camera he was 19 years of age.
Above: For long-distance Nickel operations the Whitley squadrons used a forward base in France- On 30 November 1939 Flying Officer (Fg Off] G. E. Saddington and crew flew N l357/KN:H to Villlenneuve to refuel and then carry out a sortie, returningt directly to home base at Driffield.
These sorties proved bitterly cold for crew members, particularly the rear gunner, who often wore a fur-lined apron. This Whitley was lost after a Nickel flight over the Ruhr on 28 March 1941) when Fg Off Geach and crew trespassed over neutral Holland and the bomber was shot down by a Dutch fighter. Sgt Miller was killed, the rest of the crew interned.
Photo (click on the photo to enlarge): This is H for Harry again the occasion is celebrating the longest raid of the war up to that time Jan 12th 1940 France to Vienna and Prague . My father is the shortest one in the line up!!!
Photo (click on the photo to enlarge): This was taken in Volendam April/May 1940 again my father on the left taken by Foto Lux Nieuwe Gracht 29 Utrecht
(click on the photo to enlarge)
(click on the photo to enlarge)
(click on the photo to enlarge)
(click on the photo to enlarge)