NIEUWE NIEDORP ISOLATED GRAVES
Noord-Holland
The Netherlands
Location Information
Dutch name cemetery: Veldgraf (Field-grave) Kanaalweg 5.
Full name: No CWGC cemetery. It is a field grave.
Address: Kanaalweg 5 (Westerweg), Nieuwe-Niedorp.
Historical Information
A short report here: (Also written on the white plaque above the CWGC sign.)
On the night of 22nd and 23rd June 1941, A Wellington Bomber T2990 of 311 Sqn (Czech) dived in the ground on this spot, between Hamlet 't Veld and Nieuwe-Niedorp. It was shot down by a German Night fighter. Only the pilot F/Sgt. Bufka could use his parachute and became POW, the other 5 crew members went down with the aircraft. This field use to be a muddy seabed and during WW2 this meadow still had very soft ground. The aircraft dived deep in it and could not be recovered.
(Next year (2020) there are plans to recover the bodies).
The local community placed a monument on the location and every year on the 4th of May the crew is commemorated here. There is no free access because it is on private property on the backyard of a farm. The crew are: F/Sgt. Alois Rozum, Pilot Officer Vilem Konstacky, P/O Leonard Smrcek, Sgt. Jan Hejna and Karel Valach. They are currently commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Burial Details
787204 Flight Sergeant Jan Hejna, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 36.
82608 Pilot Officer Vilem Konstacky, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 23rd June 1941. Panel 33.
787169 Flight Sergeant Alois Rozum, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 37.
82639 Pilot Officer Leonhard Smercek, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 34.
787551 Flight Sergeant Karel Valach, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 37.
Pictures © Frits Leenders
Dutch name cemetery: Veldgraf (Field-grave) Kanaalweg 5.
Full name: No CWGC cemetery. It is a field grave.
Address: Kanaalweg 5 (Westerweg), Nieuwe-Niedorp.
Historical Information
A short report here: (Also written on the white plaque above the CWGC sign.)
On the night of 22nd and 23rd June 1941, A Wellington Bomber T2990 of 311 Sqn (Czech) dived in the ground on this spot, between Hamlet 't Veld and Nieuwe-Niedorp. It was shot down by a German Night fighter. Only the pilot F/Sgt. Bufka could use his parachute and became POW, the other 5 crew members went down with the aircraft. This field use to be a muddy seabed and during WW2 this meadow still had very soft ground. The aircraft dived deep in it and could not be recovered.
(Next year (2020) there are plans to recover the bodies).
The local community placed a monument on the location and every year on the 4th of May the crew is commemorated here. There is no free access because it is on private property on the backyard of a farm. The crew are: F/Sgt. Alois Rozum, Pilot Officer Vilem Konstacky, P/O Leonard Smrcek, Sgt. Jan Hejna and Karel Valach. They are currently commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Burial Details
787204 Flight Sergeant Jan Hejna, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 36.
82608 Pilot Officer Vilem Konstacky, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 23rd June 1941. Panel 33.
787169 Flight Sergeant Alois Rozum, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 37.
82639 Pilot Officer Leonhard Smercek, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 34.
787551 Flight Sergeant Karel Valach, 311 (Czech) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 22nd June 1941. Panel 37.
Pictures © Frits Leenders
