Mission Belle

The mission 

The B-17G that came down in the river Lek between the villages Nieuw-Lekkerland and Streefkerk, was going home to it's base at Ridgewell, England after a bombardement mission over Leverkusen, Germany. During this mission, the plane and it's crew were repeatedly under fire by anti-aircraft guns and German fighters. Several minutes before they came to their target, the bombs were discharged and the plane returned to England.

Once above Holland, the plane was now heavily damaged and some engines were inoperative. It was clear they couldn't reach England, so it was decided that they should land the plane into the water in order to increase the chances of survival. Early in the afternoon of December 1st, 1943, the plane hit the water of the Lek river and came to a stop against a jetty after which it soon sank. Three men of the crew  lost their lives and the other members spent the rest of the war in German prisoner-of-war camps.




©  & ® Mission Belle, September 19th, 2016.