Date:	Sunday 28 June 1942
Time:	01:29 or 59
Type:	Vickers Wellington Mk III
Owner/operator:	156 Sqn RAF
Registration:	Z1619
MSN:	GT-
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Westrum, Herzlake, Niedersachsen -   Germany
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAF Alconbury
Destination airport:

Narrative:
Takeoff at 23:13 hrs for an operation to Bremen.
Outward-bound, the aircraft was shot down by night fighter pilot Leutnant August Geiger of the 8./NJG 1 based at Twente airfield in the Netherlands - (claim) Westrum 20km NNE Lingen (4A) at 01:29/59. Aircraft crashed at Westrum Kreis Meppen.
The crew were initially laid to rest at the Evangelical Friedhof at Quackenbruck. After hostilities has ceased they were reinterred in Rheinberg War Cemetery:

Pilot:1280353 Sgt Norman Thomas Owen - Rheinberg War Cemetery 17. A. 22.
Observer:1182661 Sgt George Towns - Rheinberg War Cemetery 17. C. 20.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner:128966 Plt Off William Henderson - Rheinberg War Cemetery 17. C. 19.
Wireless Operator/Air Gunner:1259649 Plt John Elwyn Off Jones - Rheinberg War Cemetery 17. A. 21.
Air Gunner: Aus/402210 PO Hector William Cuthbert Watts RAAF - Rheinberg War Cemetery 17. A. 23.

Nachtjagd Combat Archive The Early Years part three
Google Maps
http://www.aircrewremembered.com/AlliedLossesIncidents/?q=Z1619
Bomber Command Losses 1942
CWGC
156 Squadron
RAAF FATALITIES IN SECOND WORLD WAR AMONG RAAF PERSONNEL SERVING ON ATTACHMENT IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SQUADRONS AND SUPPORT UNITS

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

8 March 1942	X3333	156 Sqn RAF	0	RAF Alconbury		w/o
16 April 1942	X3697	156 Sqn RAF	6	1.5 km W of Vlissegem, De Haan, West Flanders		w/o
16 April 1942	X3417	156 Sqn RAF	6	Missing - Bay of Bourgneuf off Pornic		mis
20 April 1942	X3708	156 Sqn RAF	6	RAF Warboys		w/o
30 April 1942	Z1571	156 Sqn RAF	5	Cne de Gennevilliers		w/o
19 May 1942	X3671	156 Sqn RAF	6	Hargnies, Ardennes		w/o
6 June 1942	X3339	156 Sqn RAF	6	near Eversael, Rheinberg, Nordrhein-Westfalen		w/o
Mid-air collision
7 June 1942	HF918	156 Sqn RAF	5	Westerstede, Niedersachsen		w/o
26 June 1942	BJ594	156 Sqn RAF	1	Near Southwold		w/o
7 July 1942	X3345	156 Sqn RAF	5	Missing off Lorient		mis
7 July 1942	Z1576	156 Sqn RAF	5	Missing - Lann Bihoue 4km NW of Lorient		mis

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
03-Feb-2018 19:32	Red Dragon	Added
06-Nov-2018 21:30	Nepa	Updated [Operator, Phase, Destination airport, Operator]
05-May-2020 08:11	TigerTimon	Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Narrative]
05-May-2020 08:11	TigerTimon	Updated [Narrative]