A Xanten Crash … ?

I am afraid that I do not understand how one can so easily dismiss the two accounts (Henderson and Bryant) of people who were there and gave details - a day or two after the event and with the intention to help shed light on the fate of fallen comrades.

 

Yo,

Believe it or not accounts can be wrong or partially incorrect. Not sure about Henderson as I haven't looked into him but you would have to place him in the area of the crash at Xanten or Bonninghardt (officially and unthinkingly accepted as the crash site without a trace of evidence so far).

For me this was an interesting research project where photos and footage were newly connected to the Xanten crash. However, it does have a very serious side as men died here and you don't honour them by getting their place of death wrong. Time to wake up, attach eyes to brains and see what is evident in the surviving camera work.

Regards ...

 

Exclusively claiming the moral high ground and lecturing others... thank you for this very helpful contribution.

 

Thought you may like to to the serial plan that I did several years ago of the 313th formation. This particular plan shows the relative positions of the aircraft we have been discussing. As you can see Henderson was to the extreme left and behind Capt Leroy Bryant's C-46 in the formation plan. I expect there may have been some bunching up of the formation over the dropzone

 

You are more than welcome.

If you are such a strong believer in the official version may I suggest you start your own thread with the title "A Crash at Bonninghardt" as this one is about "A Xanten Crash" ...

Regards ...

 

Ah - you made this. Great work! I saw another page of your plan posted on Fold3 by someone who also posted three pages of a sort of war diary or a "consolidated combat mission report") of 48th TCS written by Captain Herbert Woronoff, probably at the end of March 1945.

 

Says the man who thought the photo showed a Horsa at Hamminkeln...
End of squabble for me.

 

Yes, it is I that am the source of all the 313th C-46 flight formation information. I have been researching the history of the 313thTCG for the past twenty years. One thing I have noticed is that the records get better towards the end of the war but there are always holes in the information that you come across leaving you wanting to find out more

 

Quite true - a perfect example of unthinking acceptance but unlike you I have come a long way since. Meanwhile the photo is still on the Paradata site with the same misleading caption. Don't think I have the energy to persuade them how wrong that is.

Regards ...

 

Very good work. I could be missing him, but don't see Henderson in your formation chart.

Interesting to see CN 45 flew in an element with CN 43 which carried Robert Capa who landed just below "Bunty" on LZ 'P'.

Regards ...

 

Henderson is Chalk49, Chalk 51 would not be present in flight as it had engine problems after take off and trailed behind the 313thTCG formation trying to catch up

 

Hi Nightdriver,
do you happen to have the complete Woronoff-Report?

 

From the war diary 7th Cameronians


VEEN, 24 march 1945


Bn remained in same area while crossing of the Rhine took place by 15 and 51 Divs and 6 Airborne Div. Several Dakotas on return from flying over DZ’s on east of Rhine were on fire from flak and crashed near bn area.

 

Was this the first wave of C46's?
If so, there may be a connection with the B17: (Cee you mentioned a potential connection between the B17 and Capa at one point).

BR,
SH

 

It was serial A-6 - the second serial of C-46 aircraft.

 

See page 71 of Capa in the British Zone - but not sure how that is connected to the Xanten crash?

Regards ...

 

Yes I have copy, the report forms part of the 48thTCS War Diaries

 

Capa jumped with 513th who were miss dropped by the 313th into the British landing zone R or LZ U

 

No, see above PDF. He came down on LZ 'P' below Bunty. I have done much of his movements in both British and American Zones. See download links.

Regards ...

Later - Capa is better dealt with in other threads - the LZ 'P' thread for one.

 

UPDATE From the war diary 7th Cameronians

VEEN, 24 march 1945
Bn remained in same area while crossing of the Rhine took place by 15 and 51 Divs and 6 Airborne Div. Several Dakotas on return from flying over DZ’s on east of Rhine were on fire from flak and crashed near bn area.

The Battalion area was located East and South of Veen during the period 19-15 March 45. 3Km North of Bonninghardt, 6km South of Xanten.