Drachtster Compagnie (Drachtsterkompenije)
Nederlands Hervormde Begraafplaats, Drachtster Kompenije
Drachtster Kompenije
Frederick Alphonsus Baty
Wellington Ic R1798
The 115 Squadron Wellington R1798 'KO-B' left RAF Marham at 20.23 hrs in the evening of 7 September 1941 for an air operation to Berlin. On the return flight, the aircraft was intercepted by a German nightfighter. The Wellington crashed in a field near the village of Drachtster Compagnie, some 4 kilometres to the North-east of Drachten. There were no survivors. All six crew members were buried at the Protestant Churchard in Drachtster Compagnie:
Sgt Ian Patrick McHaffie Gordon, F/S John Gerald O'Hara Keating (RCAF), P/O Roy Le Masurier Cox, Sgt George Alfred Cook, Sgt. John Gordon Selley and Sgt Frederick Alphonsus Baty (RNZAF). His grave is on the right hand side.
Sgt Ian Patrick McHaffie Gordon, F/S John Gerald O'Hara Keating (RCAF), P/O Roy Le Masurier Cox, Sgt George Alfred Cook, Sgt. John Gordon Selley and Sgt Frederick Alphonsus Baty (RNZAF). His grave is on the right hand side.
The 115 Squadron Wellington fell victim to Oblt Helmut Lent of 4./NJG 1 from Leeuwarden airfield. He intercepted the Wellington at a height of 4.800 metres whilst under control of the Löwe GCI station.
Sources
Frederick Alphonsus Baty - Online Cenotaph, Auckland War Memorial Museum
Bomber Command Losses, Volume II, 1941, p.141
Nachtjagd Combat Archive, The Early Years, Part 2, p.43
115 Squadron ORB Jan 1941 - Dec 1941 in AIR27/888, TNA, Kew
R1798 - RAFCommands website