DUDER Michael Sedgwick

The following information has been researched by and is courtesy of Theon Minten:
Michael Duder was the 2nd Pilot on Wellington-bomber Z8409, PH-H, on the return flight from a mission to bomb the Krupp-factories in Essen.

After bombing, the aircraft was probably hit by FLAK before being shot down by Oberleutnant Reinhold Knacke of the 2./NJG 1, who was flying Bf110 G9+MK from Venlo airfield.

The Wellington crashed in Dreumel in the Nieuwstraat on an ‘eendenkooi’, (a decoy construction to lure ducks), of the brothers Van Beesd.

The crew were buried on the 11th March 1942 in the priests’ garden next to the St Petrus church in Uden, grave 22. The crew of Z8409 were the first to be buried in the parish garden. From June 1941 onwards aircrew were buried at the unconsecrated part of the cemetery after a crash of a Wellington in Schaijk. Luftwaffe officers asked whether burial was possible and assured the priest that there would not be many burials. In total 261 aircrew were buried in Uden.

After the war they were identified and reburied at Uden War Cemetery, 1.E.13.

Epitaph on Michael’s grave: IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY. FOR EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS. MUM AND DAD

Crew members also killed in action: K. Crouch, F.J. Menshek, G.E. Warren and E.I.C. Wood.

POW: Sgt. A. C. Macey, tail gunner. He succeeded in bailing out but he bailed out on a very low altitude. He was severely wounded, cared for in a monastery, later in a hospital and was repatriated in 1943. He passed away in1979.

According to the official police report, made by Rijksveldwachter F. B. Leenders and Wachtmeester Der Marechaussee H. Winter, the plane fell from the sky, already burning near the eendenkooi of the brothers Van Beesd, some 600 meters from the village of Dreumel on the corner of the Nieuwstraat and Papesteeg.

On the ground different burning parts were found and they could identify serial number Z8409 and call sign PH-P. The crash site was sealed off while the authorities were notified. In the vicinity of the crash site 3 burned bodies could be seen but it was impossible to approach the wreckage due to exploding munitions.

The next day, 2 more remains were found in 2 different parts of the airplane. At approximately 25 meters from the wreckage a survivor was found.

Dr. J.J. van der Kleij applied first aid to this survivor. The Germans took him to the monastery where he was kept under guard.

Wachtmeester Winter and 4 colleagues guarded the crash site until 20.00 hours, afterwards the Germans took over this task.

Crash site of Wellington Z8409

Oblt Reinhold Knack

Operations Record Book