Crash information R1226 Breezand

During World War II more than 40 different bombers and jet fighters have crashed within de county borders of Hollands Kroon. The crashes were mostly on land, in the Ijssel lake and the Wadden sea.

Few crew members were arrested after using their parachute to reach the ground, others could flee with the help of the Resistance. However, the majority lost their lives and did not return home safely to their family and loved ones.

Plane crash Vickers Wellington Mk.Ic R1226 BU-L 214 “Federated Malay States” Squadron at Breezand

Crash information

On 8 May 1941 at 10.10 pm the Wellington bomber took off from Stradishall airfield in England with the German city of Hamburg as the target. More than 300 bombers took off this evening with various missions over Germany.

On the way back, the bomber was attacked by the night fighter of Flugzeugführer Oberleutnant Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weissenfeld (4./NJG 1). It was an immediate hit and the Wellington immediately caught fire. The conflagration that arose ensured that Breezand was largely illuminated. A few minutes later, the aircraft crashed into a bulb field at 02:48 hours. All crew members were killed. They were initially buried in the Military Cemetery of Honor in Huisduinen. After the war they were reburied in the British Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery near Bergen op Zoom.

The crew

Reports and press

Photos of the unveiling

Commemoration of the Wellington R1226 crew – Breezand, 7 July 2025

On the afternoon of Monday 7 July 2025, a commemoration took place at the remembrance post on Zandvaart in Breezand, in memory of the crew of the Vickers Wellington R1226. This aircraft crashed in the bulb fields of Breezand during the night of 8 to 9 May 1941.

The occasion for this commemoration was the visit of Denis Kirkcaldie and his wife Jane, who had travelled from New Zealand. Denis is a nephew of the second pilot, Norman Mervyn Kebbell Kirkcaldie, who died in the crash at the age of 23. During their visit, Denis and Jane also paid their respects at Kebbell's grave in Bergen op Zoom.

The gathering began at Museum Oud Anna Paulowna, where Chris Dijkshoorn spoke on behalf of our foundation. He read an excerpt from the diary of Annie van den Berg, in which she described how she woke up to the sound of an aircraft and machine gun fire, and how relieved she was that the burning plane had not crashed into her house.

Afterward, the attendees moved outside to the remembrance post. Mayor Rian van Dam reflected on the young age of the crew members and spoke about what it must be like to be sent to war as a young man, far from home, in an unfamiliar country. Together with Denis, she laid flowers at the post.

Denis also addressed those present. He expressed his appreciation for the ceremony and said that he and Jane felt honoured to be there.

Theo Kloosterman, an eyewitness to the crash, was also present. He is now 96 years old. In addition, twelve veterans attended, led by Frans van Zwam, and the May 4th Committee of Anna Paulowna was also represented. Trumpeter Hans Elling played The Last Post, followed by the national anthems of the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

At the close of the ceremony, the names of the six crew members who lost their lives were read aloud:

• Frank Leslie Herbert Eddison, age 30 – United Kingdom

• Norman Mervyn Kebbell Kirkcaldie, age 23 – New Zealand

• John Holt, age 22 – United Kingdom

• Kennedy Tait, age 22 – United Kingdom

• Cyril Paton, age 22 – United Kingdom

• Arnot Flaws Wilson, age 19 – United Kingdom

They were originally buried in Huisduinen and later reburied in Bergen op Zoom.

Photos of the commemoration of july 7, 2025