Apitz, K J N (Kenneth John Nielsen)
Apitz, K J N (Kenneth John Nielsen)
Flight Sergeant Kenneth Apitz was the foster-son of Anders Nielsen and Evelyn Ruth Apitz, of Hamilton, New South Wales, Australia.
To tell this story, I must cover three incidents within a period of four days which must have caused the greatest amount of sadness and distress within 59 Squadron of the Royal Air Force who were based in RAF Ballykelly and the families of these men. Twenty-four of them would lose their lives.
It all began at 08:19 on the 19th of June 1944 and would end on the 23rd at 04:16. Liberator V FL939 took off on the morning of the 19th. Onboard were eight men of the Royal Air Force. No communication was received from the bomber after it took off into bad visibility caused by fog and low cloud.
At 13:43 Liberator V FL990 also took off on the same route into fog and low cloud. Onboard were also eight men of the Royal Air Force. Severe downdrafts and fog had hampered both the fully loaded bombers.
Unknown to the air force command, until 16:20 when they received a call from Eire, Liberator V FL939 had crashed at Glengad Head, County Donegal, Ireland, shortly after take-off. The other Liberator V FL990 crashed within minutes of taking off from Ballykelly hitting Shrove Hill, just across Lough Foyle at Greencastle, County Donegal, Ireland, at 1500 feet. It then slid down the hill 200 feet. The time of the crash is disputed, and its location was only found by the noise of exploding ammunition. All the crews had lost their lives.
The eight men who perished from Liberator V FL939 were Warrant Officer Norman Robert Langton (Captain),[1] Flight Officer Percy Edward Dickinson (2nd Pilot),[2] Flight Officer John Cruickshank (Navigator),[3] Sergeant Thomas Henry Edwards (Flight Mechanic),[4] Sergeant Stanley James Trusson (Wireless Operator),[5] Flight Sergeant Cyril Lambert Kershaw (Wireless Operator),[6] Sergeant Pierre Elzear Rodolphe Baillargeon (Wireless Operator),[7] and Flight Sergeant Vaughan Albert McLellan (Wireless Operator).[8]
The eight men who perished from Liberator V FL990 were Flight Lieutenant Rowland Paine Wade (Captain),[9] Flight Sergeant John Anderson (Second Pilot),[10] Flight Sergeant Kenneth John Nielson Apitz (Wireless Air Gunner),[11] Flight Sergeant John Cook (Wireless Operator),[12] Flight Sergeant Norman Athol Cooper (Wireless Operator),[13] Flight Sergeant John Haines (Navigator),[14] Flying Officer James Alfred Parsons (Wireless Operator),[15] and Flight Sergeant James Steer (Flight Engineer).[16]
A few days later, on the 20th of June 1944, 16 coffins containing the two crews were removed from Carndonagh, County Donegal, Ireland during the night by the Irish army in a military vehicle and transported to the border. The coffins were then handed over to British military personnel.
Three days later, on the 23rd of June at around 12 noon, the crew of another Liberator V heavy bomber,[17] FL977 took off from Ballykelly airfield to participate in anti-submarine duties over the Atlantic.
The bomber would patrol for several hours until it left the designated area at 01.57 on the 24th to return home to Ballykelly airfield only to find low cloud and fog in the area. After 4 am the plane was heard circling the base and on the third rotation at 4:16 the noise of the plane crashing into the Binevenagh Mountain and its explosion was heard at the airfield by ground crew of 59 Squadron. Visibility was horrible due to the weather conditions.
Three hours later a rescue team got to the burning plane. There were no survivors. Onboard was Flying Officer Ivor Bramwell Jenkins (Pilot),[18] Warrant Officer Francis George Logan (Second Pilot),[19] Flight Sergeant John Fraser Leonard (Navigator),[20] Warrant Officer Reginald Richard James Revell (Navigator),[21] Sergeant William Harvey Wilson (Flight Engineer),[22] Sergeant Harry Gwynne Lewis (Mechanic),[23] Warrant Officer Wilfred Clark Wallace RCAF (Air Gunner)[24] and Pilot Officer George William Gerring RCAF (Air Gunner).[25]
To this day a cross stands at the location of the accident for Liberator V FL939. There is also a memorial across from the Drunken Duck pub outside Greencastle for Liberator V FL939.
The bodies of many of the airmen were taken home if possible and buried with full military funerals. Others were not and many of them are now resting in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard or St Mary’s in Limavady.
Date of Death: 19/06/1944 (Aged 20)
Service: Flight Sergeant, 59 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 422370
[1] Warrant Officer Norman Robert Langton, Service Number: 921402, aged 24 was the son of Joseph Robert and Emily Ethel Langton, of Putney. His brother, Jack, also died in service. He was laid to rest in Wandsworth (Earlsfield) Cemetery, England. Block 23. Grave 369.
[2] Flight Officer Percy Edward Dickinson, Service Number: 152474, aged 32, was the s on of Percy Walton Dickinson and Elsie Dickinson, of Disley, Cheshire. F.C.I.S. His body was cremated, and he is remembered on the Manchester Crematorium, Panel 10, England.
[3] Flight Officer John Cruickshank Service Number: 152578, aged 22, was the son of Robert Cruickshank and of Rachel Cruickshank (nee Matheson), of Deskford. B.Sc. Agriculture. He was laid to rest in Deskford Old Churchyard, Scotland.
[4] Sergeant Thomas Henry Edwards, Service Number: 631216, He was laid to rest in Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery, Section 12. Nonconformist. Grave 368, England.
[5] Sergeant Stanley James Trusson, aged 21, Service Number: 1321794, was the son of Stanley Victor and Dorothy Queenie Trusson, of Purley. He was laid to rest in Wallington (Bandon Hill) Cemetery. Section R. Grave 25, England.
[6] Flight Sergeant Cyril Lambert Kershaw, Service Number: 1100819. He was laid to rest in Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery, Section 4. Church of England. Grave 38, England.
[7] Sergeant Pierre Elzear Rodolphe Baillargeon. His story is in this book. See Limavady (St. Mary) Roman Catholic Cemetery.
[8] Flight Sergeant Vaughan Albert McLellan. His story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[9] Flight Lieutenant Rowland Paine Wade. His story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[10] Flight Sergeant John Anderson, Service Number: 1550924, aged 22, was the son of Henry and Violet H. H. Anderson, of Kelty. He was laid to rest in Dunfermline cemetery, Eastern Division. Grave 7954. Scotland.
[11] Flight Sergeant Kenneth John Nielson Apitz. His story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[12] Flight Sergeant John Cook, Service Number: 1384560, aged 19, was the son of John and Margery Cook, of London Colney. He was laid to rest in London Colney (St. Peter) churchyard, N.W. Part. England
[13] Flight Sergeant Norman Athol Cooper. His story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[14] Flight Sergeant John Haines. His story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[15] Flying Officer James Alfred Parsons, Service Number: 128381, aged 24, was the son of Marwood and Ruth Parsons, of Bradford; husband of Katherine Irene Parsons, of Lidget Green, Bradford. He was laid to rest in Bradford (Bowling) cemetery. Section East Grave 369. England.
[16] Flight Sergeant James Steer, Service Number: 564898, aged 29 was the son of James and Elizabeth Steer, of Hucknall. He was laid to rest in Hucknall cemetery. Section West. Class A.B. Grave 1630. England. May have served under the name Utting.
[17] The Liberator V was an American designed heavy bomber which first flew in 1939 and was introduced to military service during 1941. The Liberator had the long range required for anti-submarine missions.
[18] Flying Officer Ivor Bramwell Jenkins (RAF), Service Number 169575, aged 24, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Jenkins, of Blaengarw. He was laid to rest in Pontycymmer (Gelliron) Cemetery, Row G. Grave 23, Glamorganshire, Wales.
[19] Warrant Officer Francis George Logan (RCAF), Service Number R/101611, aged 27, was the husband of J.MN. Logan of 15 Babington Row, Park Estate, Leicester and son of Violet and George Edward Logan. He was laid to rest in Leicester (Saffron Hill) Cemetery, Section C. Grave 313, England.
[20] Flight Sergeant John Fraser Leonard (RAF), Service Number 1551749, aged 22 was the son of William and Margaret Guthrie Leonard, of Inverkeithing. He was laid to rest in Torryburn Cemetery, Section H. Grave 48, Scotland.
[21] Warrant Officer Reginald Richard James Revell (RAF), Service Number 564007, aged 30 was the son of Samuel James Revell and Margaret Elizabeth Revell; husband of Marjorie Moody Revell, of East Park, Hull. He was laid to rest in Hull Western Cemetery, Compt. 119. Grave 11715, England.
[22] Sergeant William Harvey Wilson (RAF), Service Number 1069103, aged 32 was the son of George and Isabella Wilson, of Lochgelly; husband of Davina Wilson, of Lochgelly. He was laid to rest in Ballingry Cemetery, Section J. Grave 634, Scotland.
[23] Sergeant Harry Gwynne Lewis (RAF), Service Number 550742, aged 25 was the son of Frederick St. George Lewis and Sarah Louisa Lewis, of Goodwick. He was laid to rest in Llanwnda Cemetery, Grave 577, Wales.
[24] Warrant Officer Wilfred Clark Wallace RCAF. His story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
[25] Pilot Officer George William Gerring RCAF. His story is in this book, and he is also buried in Tamlaght Finlagan Church of Ireland Churchyard.
