C-47 (42-24127) Crash Monument - 435th Troop Carrier Group
Details:
Just off the narrow road in a small wooded park with a brick wall surrounding it. Monument
An upright granite stone with an attached silver inscribed metal plaque.
The memorial remembers the crew of the C-47 (42-24127) of the 76th Squadron, 425th Troop Carrier Group that was shot down here during "Operation Market" Garden on September 19, 1944.
From the Wings Museum (UK) website:
On September 19th, 1944, C-47 42-24127, belonging to the 76th Squadron 435th Troop Carrier Group, was en route to Son in the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden. The aircraft was hit by heavy anti-aircraft, small arms and 20mm fire from the ground, and crashed near to Kasterlee.
The pilot Lt. John W. Hesketh and his Radio Operator Staff Sergeant Martin M. Worobrow tragically lost their lives. Fortunately the rest of the crew managed to bale out.
The aircraft was towing a glider that was quickly cut loose, enabling it to make an emergency landing near the Corsendonk priory in Oud-Turnhout.
THE CREW OF C-47 42-24127 included:
First Lieutenant John W. Hesketh DFC Pilot. KIA
Lieutenant Charles M. Pollock Co-Pilot. Escaped
Staff Sergeant Martin M. Worobrow Radio Operator. KIA
Sergeant Nicholas Brooks Turner Flight Engineer. POW.
After his escape, Pollock was taken care of by people from Vorsel and the Kluis and hidden from the Germans in a hut against the Tikkebroeken.
The memorial was dedicated in 2019.
For more information of this event, see the Wings Museum, site Balcombe.
Source:
Wings Museum Website
Traces of War (Photos)
Monument Text:
The text is written in English and Flemish. The English reads:
Douglas C-47A "Skytrain" 42-24127
76th Squadron, 435th Troop Carrier
Group - 9th USAAF
This memonal was erected in remembrance of two crew members killed
in action. On the I9th September 1944 Douglas "Skytrain" C-47A 42-24127 was onroute to Son in The Netherlands, as part of Operation Market Garden and was shot down by anti-aircraft fire close to this spot.
Lt. Pollock escaped and was hidden by the local people of Vorsel and De Kluis in a small cabin at Tikkebroeken.
The aircraft had a glider in tow, that made an
emergency landing near the Corsendonk Priorv in Oud Turnhout.
First Lieutenant John W. Hesketh DFC Pilot. KIA
Lieutenant Charles M. Pollock Co-Pilot. Escaped
Staff Sergeant Martin M. Worobrow Radio Operator. KIA
Sergeant Nicholas Brooks Turner Flight Engineer. POW.
The memorial was a joint venture between Wings Museum UK, Gemeente Kasterlee, Heemkundige Kring Kasterlee-Lichaart-Tielen, Raymond Baeken, and local researcher Jhonny Bastiaensen.
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
101st Airborne Division
434th Troop Carrier Group
76th Squadron, 435th Troop Carrier Group
9th Air Force
9th Troop Carrier Command
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Operation Market Garden
Other images :
