Hudson III T9445   161 Squadron    

20-21 March 1945

Shot down by a Northrop P-61 Black Widow (by mistake)

Crash: At Samrée

 

F/ Lt  R Ferris   Pilot  RCAF   KIA   Heverlee War Cemetery

W/O  R Hutton   Navigator   RCAF   KIA    Heverlee War Cemetery

F/Lt   A Penhale  W/Op – A/G  RCAF   KIA   Heverlee War Cemetery

F/O   J Traill W/Op-A/G   RCAF   KIA    Heverlee War Cemetery

Crashed British aircraft

Further to my signal A.C.6. dated March 21st March, I have to report as fellows: On March 21st 1945, I received a report that a British aircraft had crashed at P.527837 early that morning, I proceeded to the site with S/Ldr. Smith, the Senior Controller, and there found the burnt-out remains of an aircraft which S/Ldr. Smith identified as a Ventura or Lockheed. Upon further search, the remains of four bodies were found. These were badly mutilated and burnt, but I was able to identify them as follows: J.14431 F/Lt Ferris, J.22610 F/Lt Penhale, R.109276 W/O. Hutton, J.87484 Traill.

A Major Hanbury of the Canadian Forestry Corps who was camped near the scene of the accident informed me he was of the opinion the aircraft was shot down by an enemy fighter, as in the early hours of the morning he heard firing before the noise of the crash and he then heard another aircraft fly away in a North-Easterly direction.

I collected what personal belongings, maps etc., I could find, these as forwarded with this report. The following day, March 22nd I collected the bodies with a burial party and they were buried near the Technical Site at P.5885 beside the graves of other aircrew who had been killed in this area.

I then organised a further search around the crashed aircraft in order to ensure that no maps, papers, etc., had been overlooked. Everything of that nature which was found is forwarded with this report.

(Sgd) J.N. Wardrop, Area Commander, LAROCHE