This page was updated on 13 September 2023
Nes, Ameland (Nes, it Amelân)
Nes, Amelân
Algemene Begraafplaats, Nes (Ameland)
Albert Frank Bissell
Wellington Ic T2921
Sergeant Bissell was the wireless operator/air gunner in the crew of Sergeant T.W.B. Emmott, 103 Squadron and based at RAF Elsham Wolds in Lincolnshire. The Wellington departed her base at 23.31 hrs on 23 June 1942 for a 'Gardening' mission in the Nectarine area of the Frisian Islands. The aircraft and crew failed to return. Sgt Bissell and Sgt Alfred Jones were buried here in Nes, whilst Sgt A.B. Scanlan is buried in Sage War Cemetery, Germany. Two crewmembers, Sgt Emmot and P/O F.H. Wood, have no known grave.
Wellington T2921 fell victim to the Kommandeur of II./NJG2 Hauptmann Helmut Lent. His Bf 110 nightfighter, 'R4+AC', was scrambled from Leeuwarden at 00.22 hrs. Under control of the Tiger GCI station at Terschelling, they intercepted and destroyed two of the mine-laying Wellingtons: T2921 at 01.11 hrs. The aircraft crashed into the North Sea, 10 kilometers to the North of Terschelling Island. The other Wellington, DV831, also from No.103 Squadron was intercepted at 01.45 hrs and came down in the sea to the Northwest of Vlieland Island.
(Nachtjacht Combat Archive, The Early Years, Part 3, p.30-31)
(Nachtjacht Combat Archive, The Early Years, Part 3, p.30-31)
Albert Frank Bissell (Jr.) was born on Thursday, the 1st of October 1914, in the Westland area of New Zealand. He was aged 27 only, when killed in a Luftwaffe night-fighter attack over the North Sea, in the 'Raum' (area) of the radar and air control station 'Tiger' at Terschelling Island.
His human remains were found washed up at the Ameland Island's shore, near the 10 kilometre beachmarker, situated Northeast of Ballum village, on Wednesday 5th August 1942 (thus 43 days after that fateful night). He was buried in the Nes General Cemetery, in grave D.15.19, the day after (Thursday 6th August 1942). In the afternoon, he and his crewmate, Sergeant (WO/AG) Alfred Jones were laid to rest in a funeral service held by the German military.
Sergeant 'Al' Bissell was one of the sons of Albert Bissell, and of Mary Elsie Bissell (née Graham). Al's beloved mum, who passed away on 15th November 1979, aged 90 years, had done a 'hounorable job'; raising five kids, most all alone and for many years, after the dramatic death of her husband and their young father. Albert Bissell Sr. was fatally wounded by a falling tree, in an accident at the local sawmill were he was working, aged only 33 years, on May 2nd, 1916. A great drama, not only for the Bissell family, but for the whole community of Ruatapu (a small coastal township, situated on a landbridge between the Tasman Sea and Lake Mahinapua, in fact on old lagoon). 'Al' Bissell had three brothers: William 'Bill' Graham Bissell (who was working later at the same timbermill, where their dad was killed), James 'Jimmy' Arthur Bissell (who was serving in WW2 also, but survived !) and Joseph Bissell. He had a sister, Daphne Bissell. His mum and dad, as well as 2 of his brothers, and a sister-in-law are all buried in the (nearby) Hokitika Municipal Cemetery, known as the 'Seaview Cemetery', in Westland, South Island. His mum never has seen her son's war grave at Ameland island ......... and all her life she had his photograph, given her by the New Zealand Government after the war, hanging on the wall at home !
Information kindly supplied by Willem de Jong, Menaam.
His human remains were found washed up at the Ameland Island's shore, near the 10 kilometre beachmarker, situated Northeast of Ballum village, on Wednesday 5th August 1942 (thus 43 days after that fateful night). He was buried in the Nes General Cemetery, in grave D.15.19, the day after (Thursday 6th August 1942). In the afternoon, he and his crewmate, Sergeant (WO/AG) Alfred Jones were laid to rest in a funeral service held by the German military.
Sergeant 'Al' Bissell was one of the sons of Albert Bissell, and of Mary Elsie Bissell (née Graham). Al's beloved mum, who passed away on 15th November 1979, aged 90 years, had done a 'hounorable job'; raising five kids, most all alone and for many years, after the dramatic death of her husband and their young father. Albert Bissell Sr. was fatally wounded by a falling tree, in an accident at the local sawmill were he was working, aged only 33 years, on May 2nd, 1916. A great drama, not only for the Bissell family, but for the whole community of Ruatapu (a small coastal township, situated on a landbridge between the Tasman Sea and Lake Mahinapua, in fact on old lagoon). 'Al' Bissell had three brothers: William 'Bill' Graham Bissell (who was working later at the same timbermill, where their dad was killed), James 'Jimmy' Arthur Bissell (who was serving in WW2 also, but survived !) and Joseph Bissell. He had a sister, Daphne Bissell. His mum and dad, as well as 2 of his brothers, and a sister-in-law are all buried in the (nearby) Hokitika Municipal Cemetery, known as the 'Seaview Cemetery', in Westland, South Island. His mum never has seen her son's war grave at Ameland island ......... and all her life she had his photograph, given her by the New Zealand Government after the war, hanging on the wall at home !
Information kindly supplied by Willem de Jong, Menaam.
Sources
Albert Frank Bissell - Online Cenotaph, Auckland War Memorial Museum
Bomber Command Losses, Volume III, 1942, p.131
No.103 Squadron ORB, Jan-Dec 1942, in AIR27/814, TNA, Kew
Pete Bissell, Penola, South Australia (son of Al's brother Bill Bissell), via
Willem de Jong, Menaam
Nachtjagd Combat Archive, The Early Years, Part 3, p.30-31
Bernard Verdon Crawford
Stirling B.I BF378
F/O Bernard Crawford was the captain of 15 Squadron (RAF) Stirling BF378 'LS-T'. The Stirling had departed RAF Bourn at 17.53 hrs on 19 February, 1943, for an operation to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. At some stage in the flight, the aircraft crashed in the Waddensea. It is believed the whole crew perished. Only four have known graves: F/O Crawford is buried here in Nes, F/O C.R. Long (RCAF) rests in Wierum, Sgt K.S. Keeble is buried in Nes Protestant Churchyard in Dongeradeel on the Frisian mainland. Sgt A.H. Borrett (RAAF) rests in Vredenhof on the neighbouring island of Schiermonnikoog. Sgt W.H. Macklin (RAF), P/O P.T. Howson (RAF) and Sgt C.J.J. Wellesley (RAAF) are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
In Nachtjagd Combat Archive, 1943, Part 1, p.30, it is stated that the Stirling fell to the guns of a German night fighter aircraft, flown by Oblt Hans-Joachim Jabs, the Staffelkapitän of 11./NJG 1. He claimed the Stirling over the North Sea, 10 kilometers West of Schiermonnikoog Island and flying at a height of 1.900 metres. Time: 21.18 hrs.
BF378 came down some 1400 metres to the South of the Kooiplaats farm, in the shallow waters of the Wadden Sea. Remains (including those shown in the photographs below?) were located at position X185350 Y605743 in the Dutch RD System (N 53º 26'13.5'', E 5º 50' 38.0'').
BF378 came down some 1400 metres to the South of the Kooiplaats farm, in the shallow waters of the Wadden Sea. Remains (including those shown in the photographs below?) were located at position X185350 Y605743 in the Dutch RD System (N 53º 26'13.5'', E 5º 50' 38.0'').
In a temporary exhibition on the work of the Diving Team 'Zeester' at the Maritime Museum Abraham Fock, Hollum, Ameland, recovered remains from Stirling BF378 are on display. These include a propeller blade, engine parts and one of the tail wheel tyres. The exhibition can be visited until November 2023.
Sources
Bernard Verdun Crawford - Online Cenotaph, Auckland War Memorial Museum
Bomber Command Losses, Volume IV, 1943, p.45
No.15 Squadron ORB, Jan 1941 - Dec 1943, in AIR27/203, TNA, Kew
BF378 - AircrewRemembered website
Nachtjagd Combat Archive, 1943, Part 1, p.30
Ian Richard Victor Ruff
Lancaster B.II DS652
Flight Sergeant Ian Ruff was the captain of Lancaster B.II DS652 of 115 Squadron, RAF. The aircraft 'KO-B' had departed RAF East Wreatham at 00.02 hrs in the early morning of 13 June, 1943, for a bombing operation to Bochum in the German Ruhrgebiet. It is believed the Lancaster was intercepted and shot down over the North Sea by a German night fighter (see notes below).
By the end of the month, three bodies of the crew had washed ashore: F/S Ruff and Sgt John Renwick Glendinning, RAF, were buried here in Nes. F/S Frederick Cuffey (RAF) rests in Makkum Protestant Churchyard. The other crewmembers have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. They are:
Sgt John Frederick Mustchin (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 160)
Sgt Norman William Procter (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 162)
Sgt Paul Dalralph Deck (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 147)
Sgt Arthur Anthony Rush (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 163)
By the end of the month, three bodies of the crew had washed ashore: F/S Ruff and Sgt John Renwick Glendinning, RAF, were buried here in Nes. F/S Frederick Cuffey (RAF) rests in Makkum Protestant Churchyard. The other crewmembers have no known grave and are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. They are:
Sgt John Frederick Mustchin (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 160)
Sgt Norman William Procter (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 162)
Sgt Paul Dalralph Deck (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 147)
Sgt Arthur Anthony Rush (RAF), Runnymede (Panel 163)
Note.
In the article "Show of Force" in Fly Past (March 2013) on p.49, it is stated that ".... among the 14 Lancasters and ten Halifaxes lost was DS652 'B for Baker' of 115 Squadron. On its way home it was shot down off the Dutch island of Texel by a Bf 110G of 11./NJG 1 flown by the well-known 'ace' Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Jabs. New Zealander F/S I.R.V. Ruff and his crew all died, three bodies later being washed ashore."
In the article "Show of Force" in Fly Past (March 2013) on p.49, it is stated that ".... among the 14 Lancasters and ten Halifaxes lost was DS652 'B for Baker' of 115 Squadron. On its way home it was shot down off the Dutch island of Texel by a Bf 110G of 11./NJG 1 flown by the well-known 'ace' Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Jabs. New Zealander F/S I.R.V. Ruff and his crew all died, three bodies later being washed ashore."
Note.
In Nachtjagd Combat Archive, 1943, Part 1, p.121, Dr Boiten states that DS652 was intercepted and shot down by Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Jabs, Staffelkapitän of 11./NJG 1 over the Wadden Sea, 15 kilometres East of Texel Island, probably under the control of GCI stations Hering or Salzhering. The Lancaster was flying at a height of 6.200 metres. Time: 02.39 hrs.
In Nachtjagd Combat Archive, 1943, Part 1, p.121, Dr Boiten states that DS652 was intercepted and shot down by Hauptmann Hans-Joachim Jabs, Staffelkapitän of 11./NJG 1 over the Wadden Sea, 15 kilometres East of Texel Island, probably under the control of GCI stations Hering or Salzhering. The Lancaster was flying at a height of 6.200 metres. Time: 02.39 hrs.
Note.
Via Willem de Jong some additional in formation on Ian Ruff's parents: Ian was a son of Alfred Whitman Ruff. In 1913 Ian’s father had married Annie Drury and their first child, Gertrude May was born the following year. Alfred had also a son from an earlier relation. He became chairman of the NZ Road Transport Alliance during the 1940s and was a member of the Whakatane Control District Board. He began his own cartage business known as AW Ruff & Sons at Nukuhou which was later known as Ruff Bros. Most of the family lived and worked in the business. The company was later to be sold to Opotiki Transport which is still in operation. There is a mural of Alfred Whitman Ruff at Nukuhou Hall. Alfred died in 1959, aged 71, his death registered at Whakatane and he is buried at Waimana Cemetery in the Thames Valley.
Via Willem de Jong some additional in formation on Ian Ruff's parents: Ian was a son of Alfred Whitman Ruff. In 1913 Ian’s father had married Annie Drury and their first child, Gertrude May was born the following year. Alfred had also a son from an earlier relation. He became chairman of the NZ Road Transport Alliance during the 1940s and was a member of the Whakatane Control District Board. He began his own cartage business known as AW Ruff & Sons at Nukuhou which was later known as Ruff Bros. Most of the family lived and worked in the business. The company was later to be sold to Opotiki Transport which is still in operation. There is a mural of Alfred Whitman Ruff at Nukuhou Hall. Alfred died in 1959, aged 71, his death registered at Whakatane and he is buried at Waimana Cemetery in the Thames Valley.
Sources
Ian Richard Victor Ruff - Online Cenotaph, Auckland War Memorial Museum
Bomber Command Losses, Volume IV, 1943, p.183
No.115 Squadron ORB, Jan - Dec 1943, in AIR27/890, TNA, Kew
Nachtjagd Combat Archive, 1943, Part 1, p.121
Fly Past magazine, March 2013, p.49
Candles placed by Ameland residents. Photo kindly supplied by Willem de Jong.