Service militaire
Lieu de l’enterrement/commemoration
Fils de M. John et Mme. Emily Hicks de Fort William, Ontario.
Galerie numérique de Sergent Joseph Melvin Hicks
Galerie numérique de
Sergent Joseph Melvin Hicks
Sergeant Observer Joseph Melvin Hicks, RCAF, died at age 21 when his Hampden bomber, P5330, crashed at Sonderby Bjerge, Funen (Fyn) Island, Denmark, early on the morning of 25 April 1942. Only one member of the crew of four, a gunner, survived. The bomber had been participated in a combined RAF/RCAF area-bombing attack on Rostock, Germany. Following the attack, over the Baltic Sea, the bomber began experiencing engine trouble; a German anti-aircraft unit reported hitting a Hampden bomber near Funen Island at about the same time. The Hampden pilot tried to reach neutral Sweden, but had to attempt a landing in a farmer's field. The aircraft apparently stalled and was destroyed in the resulting crash and fire.
Galerie numérique de
Sergent Joseph Melvin Hicks
Photo and story courtesy of Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com <P>
On its way to the target, Hampton P5330 of 420 Sqdn was hit by flak from Flakgruppe Küste. The pilot Sgt Jack Potter circled the area south east of Assens and attempted a crash landing at Sønderby Bjerge at 03:00 hours.<P>
The landing failed and the aircraft ended as a total wreck killing Sgt Potter, Air Observer Sgt Joe Melvin Hichs RCAF and Wop/Air Gnr. Sgt James Henry Smith RCAF while Sgt Frank George Webster Adams RCAF survived with a broken leg. He was admitted to the hospital in Assens where the German Wehrmacht later picked him up. He was sent to Dulag Luft at Oberursel for interrogation and then on to Stalag IXC at Mühlhausen, Stalag Luft VI at Heydekrug to end up in Stalag 357 Fallingbostel at the end of war.
Those who died were laid to rest in Assens cemetery on 28/4 with the German Fieldpriest Vorrath from Odense officiating at the graveside ceremony.
Galerie numérique de
Sergent Joseph Melvin Hicks
Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
Galerie numérique de
Sergent Joseph Melvin Hicks
Sergeant Joseph Melvin Hicks is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Galerie numérique de
Sergent Joseph Melvin Hicks
Sergeant Joseph Melvin Hicks is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Galerie numérique de
Sergent Joseph Melvin Hicks
Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Galerie d'images
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Sergeant Observer Joseph Melvin Hicks, RCAF, died at age 21 when his Hampden bomber, P5330, crashed at Sonderby Bjerge, Funen (Fyn) Island, Denmark, early on the morning of 25 April 1942. Only one member of the crew of four, a gunner, survived. The bomber had been participated in a combined RAF/RCAF area-bombing attack on Rostock, Germany. Following the attack, over the Baltic Sea, the bomber began experiencing engine trouble; a German anti-aircraft unit reported hitting a Hampden bomber near Funen Island at about the same time. The Hampden pilot tried to reach neutral Sweden, but had to attempt a landing in a farmer's field. The aircraft apparently stalled and was destroyed in the resulting crash and fire.
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Photo and story courtesy of Airwar Over Denmark www.flensted.eu.com <P> On its way to the target, Hampton P5330 of 420 Sqdn was hit by flak from Flakgruppe Küste. The pilot Sgt Jack Potter circled the area south east of Assens and attempted a crash landing at Sønderby Bjerge at 03:00 hours.<P> The landing failed and the aircraft ended as a total wreck killing Sgt Potter, Air Observer Sgt Joe Melvin Hichs RCAF and Wop/Air Gnr. Sgt James Henry Smith RCAF while Sgt Frank George Webster Adams RCAF survived with a broken leg. He was admitted to the hospital in Assens where the German Wehrmacht later picked him up. He was sent to Dulag Luft at Oberursel for interrogation and then on to Stalag IXC at Mühlhausen, Stalag Luft VI at Heydekrug to end up in Stalag 357 Fallingbostel at the end of war. Those who died were laid to rest in Assens cemetery on 28/4 with the German Fieldpriest Vorrath from Odense officiating at the graveside ceremony.
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Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
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Sergeant Joseph Melvin Hicks is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Sergeant Joseph Melvin Hicks is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
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Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
Dans les livres du souvenir
Inscription commémorative sur la :
Page 81 du Livre du Souvenir de la Seconde Guerre mondiale.
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NOUVEAU CIMETIÈRE D'ASSENS (FYN) Danemark
Assens est une ville portuaire de la côte ouest de l'île de Fyn. Le nouveau cimetière de Assens (Fyn) est situé dans l'est de la ville, sur la route de Faaborg.
Pour plus d’informations, visitez la Commission des sépultures de guerre du Commonwealth (site disponible en anglais seulement).
L’image du coquelicot est une marque déposée de la Légion royale canadienne (Direction nationale) et est utilisée avec sa permission. Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus sur le coquelicot.
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