Mosquitoes MM202 and RV326 That Collided Over Roden

[Dave Homewood]

I have been corresponding with Tjerk Karsijns, of Roden, Netherlands, who has been piecing together the history of de Havilland Mosquitoes MM202 and RV326.

These two aircraft collided on the 27th of March 1945 over Tjerk's village of Roden. Mosquito RV326 crashed in between Roden and nearby Zevenhuizen. The pilot was Gordon David Hudson, who came from New Zealand.

Tjerk has written a book about that crash, and he and others have been searching for the engine of the Mosquito and hope to soon dig it up. He would like to tell this story here on the site and so he's asked me to place this here, with links to his findings:

Click the links for the documents
Part One

Part Two

Part Three

He also says:
"And, do not forget that my English is school-english. Of course I will inform you about the digging. I think the people in the municipality talk to each other on september 7.
Thanks very much what you are doing for me.
Best regards.
Tjerk."

[Antonio]

Sadly the links are no longer working.

I have these links:
aviation-safety.net/wikibase/48948 

aviation-safety.net/wikibase/78877

aircrewremembered.com/hudson-gordon.html 

From ASN 48948:
Date: Tuesday 27 March 1945
Time: 19:45
de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito B Mk XVI
Owner/operator: 571 Sqn RAF
Registration: RV326
MSN: 8K-L
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location: farmland at Zevenhuizen, 5km SW of Leek, 25 km SW of Groningen - Netherlands
Phase: En route
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport:
Narrative:
Mosquito RV326/L: Took off at 19:07 hrs for a Night bombing mission over Berlin. 27/03/1945
While flying over the Netherlands on the way to Berlin collided with Mosquito MM202 from 128 Sqn RAF.
Two Mosquitos (RV326 & MM202) collided 15,5 miles SW of Zevenhuizen.
The Mosquito MM202 flew from below. The badly damaged MM202 then returned back to England and made a perfect landing in RAF Woodbridge at 21:35 hrs.
The Mosquito RV326 crashed around 19:45 hrs into a farmland /into cornfield in Zevenhuizen, Groningen, Holland. The land belonging to Mr. Buist, bordering the woods at Zevenhuizen.
Crew:
F/O (NZ413419) Gordon David HUDSON AFC pilot) RNZAF - killed
F/O (J/42505) Maurice George GANT (nav.) RCAF - killed


From ASN 78877:
Date: Tuesday 27 March 1945
Time: 19:45
de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito B Mk XVI
Owner/operator: 128 Sqn RAF
Registration: MM202
MSN:
Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 2
Aircraft damage: Minor
Location: 15,5 miles south-west of Zevenhuizen, Groningen. - Netherlands
Phase: En route
Nature: Military
Departure airport: RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire
Destination airport: RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk
Narrative:
Mosquito MM202/V: Took off at 19:03 hrs for Night bombing mission to Berlin. 27/03/1945
Two Mosquitos (RV326 & MM202) collided en route to Berlin. Mosquito MM202 from below, 15.5 miles SW of Zevenhuizen, NL. Mosquito RV326 crashed and were both crew killed. 27/03/1945
Mosquito MM202/V he lost his starboard propellor, the starboard engine was set afire, and the aircraft did a half-spin.The pilot he put the Mosquito MM202 into a dive to extinguish the fire, in which he succeeded. However the plane suffered another serious damage which denied crew the opportunity to bailed out. Smith's damaged aircraft was able to return and they made a perfect landing at the emergency at RAF Woodbridge at 21:35hrs.
Crew:
F/Lt (NZ414352) Leicester George SMITH DFC (pilot) RNZAF - OK
W/O (972649) William LANE DFC (nav) RAFVR - OK