Sacrifice of true hero honoured by Dutch villagers

The 39-year-old flight engineer from Leeds was taking part in a bombing raid on Dusseldorf on the night of April 23, 1944, when he and his six colleagues were attacked by a German fighter plane close to the coast of Holland.

Five members bailed out of the badly damaged plane, leaving only Herbert and pilot Francis Fennessey behind.

It is not precisely clear what happened next but it is thought the duo were unable to reach the burning exit and may have been injured.

Eye witness accounts from Dutch civilians say the plane was heading for the village of Herkingen, in the Dutch province of South Holland, only for it to be steered away at the last minute before crashing in the St Elizabeth polder (a field reclaimed from the sea and protected by dykes).

Their heroic sacrifice ensured that there were no civilian casualties.

The Germans would not allow the bodies of Herbert and Francis to be recovered from the wreckage in the polder so they remained there until June 1945 following the liberation of Holland when the polder was drained and the remains of the two men were recovered by the villagers.

Funds were collected to build Herbert a memorial grave which was unveiled in June 1946. Francis’s body was sent to a Catholic cemetery in Middleharnis and then moved to the Bergen Op Zoom Canadian Military Cemetery nearby.

This weekend up to 50 descendants of the seven-strong, largely Canadian, crew are meeting up in Holland for the first time for a special memorial to honour the valour of LK802 flight crew, No. 429, Bison Squadron.

Among of those travelling over from Yorkshire will be Herbert’s grandchildren Joanne Gray and Jill Austin.

Of especial interest to them will be a visit on Friday to Herkingen Cemetery where Herbert is buried as well as the street commemorating the Halifax crashed – Austinplein – named after him by grateful villagers.

On Saturday there will be speeches by American Defence Attaché Col Michael Peterson in memory of the one American crew member and by the Canadian Defence Attaché Col Janine Knackstedt.

Leading members of the municipality of Dirksland, including the mayor will attend. These will be followed by the playing of the Last Post and one minute’s silence, the laying of wreaths and the playing of national anthems.

Joanne, 43, mother-of-two, from Leeds, said one of the most affecting memories of the weekend is likely to be a long-hoped-for meeting with a man called Arno whose grandmother told him the story of the downed bomber.

When he heard that the lady who had looked after the grave had died and no-one had continued to carry out her duties the 10-year-old boy was shocked at the lack of respect for someone who had sacrificed his life in the battle against Nazi tyranny.

He immediately applied to the town hall and was officially made responsible for maintaining his grave. From the age of 11 he cycled every weekend from Herkingen to Oude Tonge, an all round journey totalling 15 miles in order to tend the grave.

Joanne said: “I’m hoping to meet Arno and thank him for what he did, it was just amazing and very moving. I shall be disappointed if we don’t manage to meet him.

“The whole visit is bound to be very emotional and poignant, particularly the memorial service on Saturday with the full gun salute and playing of the national anthems.

“To say I am proud of Herbert is an understatement. I am just overwhelmed. It is very humbling”

Her interest in her grandfather’s fate was revived a few years ago when her oldest daughter Lucy was asked to produce an historical project and chose her great grandfather. Joanne added: “Lucy won a commendation and it brought it all flooding back.”

One of her cousins, Jill Austin, of Cross Gates, Leeds, added: “The more you hear about it all the more you want to know. This weekend is going to be a really special occasion because it is going to bring all the families of the crew together for the first time. It’s lovely that the Dutch people are still after all this time honouring these heroes.”