The Search is Over
By Staff reporter
SIXTY five years after he was killed during a World War Two air raid a Lurgan woman has finally got closure on her brother's death.
On May 31, 1942 William James OÕCallaghan, was shot down over Holland en route to the historic Ô1000 BombersÕ raid on Cologne.
At the time though, all his sister Mary McGeown was told the aircraft hadnÕt returned and that William was missing in action. 13 weeks later she was told he was officially dead.
ÒThat was all she knew,Ó said her son, Kieran.
He continued the story: ÒMy brother happened to know someone who was in a War Graves Commission and we learned that William was buried in Eastern Cemetery in Amsterdam.
ÒWe brought my mother over in 2002. She would have been 81.Ó
He said: ÒAt the time we still didnÕt know what had happened - whether he was shot down coming over or shot down coming back.Ó
Kieran then told how he found an RAF website on a Google search that had further details about WilliamÕs plane.
ÒWe were able to find out the time he went out and where he was shot down,Ó he said.
ÒFrom there we got in touch with Dutch group called CRASH (Crash Research and Aviation Society Holland) and the information came out in floods.Ó
Kieran told of the importance of WilliamÕs plane: ÒIt turns out that William was in the first plane that was shot down during the raid. The significance of WillieÕs aircraft to them was huge.Ó
At 22.42pm on May 30, 1942 the Vickers Wellington Mk II, with registration code W5361, PH-C for Charly, took off from its base at Binbrook, to take part in the historic Ô1000 BombersÕ operation.
It was shot down by flak and crashed at 00.26am at Badhoevedorp, Holland close to Schipol airport, which was a German air base at the time.
ÒTragic as it was, because it was the first aircraft shot down it was a visible sign for them that help was on the way,Ó said Kieran.
The CRASH foundation were of the opinion that the pilots, Payne and Siegler, knowing of their impending fate, managed to steer the aircraft away from houses that were situated near the crash site; if this had not happened then there may well have been many deaths of the resident Dutch population.
On Saturday, May 30, 1987 plans to build houses on the spot the Wellington crashed allowed the ground to be cleared and the remains of the Wellington to be recovered.
On Monday May 31, 1999 a commemorative monument to the crew was unveiled at the exact spot on the Rozenstraat in Badhoevedorp where the Wellington aircraft codename PH-C crashed on May 31, 1942.
This Sunday the McGeown family travelled from their Lough Road home to Holland for the second time to visit WilliamÕs grave.
This time however, they went with the added knowledge of the fate that had befell the 18-year-old airman, who had joined the RAF only a year previously.
As well as seeing the memorial the family also spoke with a man whose father had witnessed the crash.
Kieran said: ÒThe man told her what his father had seen.
He described then plane exploding and parts of it being strewn everywhere.
ÒHe explained in broken English they werenÕt allowed out of their houses because of a curfew, but later his father went to the site and retrieved a few items.
ÒHe said he was 79 and could think of no better person to pass on the things to and he gave them to my mother - it was very emotional.Ó
Among the items was a watch, which will forever by cherished by WilliamÕs sister.
Kieran said: ÒAll the pilots wore the same watches so they could synchronise - weÕre going to try and find out if it was WilliamÕs.Ó
The watch had stopped at exactly 00.26am - the time that WilliamÕs plane had crashed Badhoevedorp.
Kieran thanked Jan Springintveld, Secretary to the CRASH foundation, Hank Rebel, Chairperson of the CRASH foundation, for their courtesy during the familyÕs visit.
ÒThanks also all other members of the CRASH foundation who made our visit such an memorable one and in particular, Hans and Urich,Ó said Kieran.
Kieran pointed out there may be other readers who have lost relatives on RAF missions over Holland and therefore might want to contact the CRASH organisation.
Their website address is www.crash40-45.nl
The Lurgan Mail, UK
©2007 Johnston Press Digital Publishing