Memorial stone planned for tragic Wellington crash near Maxdorf

Memorial stone planned for tragic Wellington crash near Maxdorf

As the wind blows, interest in the history of the Second World War always leads to remarkable projects. Erik Wieman plans to erect a memorial stone at the crash site of a Wellington bomber that went down near Maxdorf in 1942. This initiative is intended to provide the crew's relatives with a place to mourn and remember. In particular, it is about the six young men who lost their lives in this tragic incident.

The Wellington, registered R1789, was not just another aircraft. It was a twin-engine bomber that crashed near Maxdorf on November 1, 1942 after being hit by anti-aircraft fire near Ludwigshafen. The plane was reportedly under the spotlight and flying very low - about 200 meters - when it was hit by flak and attempted an emergency landing. But the landing gear got stuck in the raft ditch, which caused the plane to roll over. The tragic time of the accident was around 1:30 a.m. and the consequences were devastating as all six members of the crew were killed.

The crew in focus

The crew of the Wellington consisted of:

• Pilot: Sgt. Sidney Burtwell (Service Nr. 1172870)
• Navigationsoffizier: Sgt. Kenneth Horace Tibbatts (19 Jahre alt, Service Nr. 1256777)
• Bombenschütze: Sgt. Arthur Edwin Rees (Service Nr. 934390)
• Funker: John Clifford Dunn (26 Jahre alt, Service Nr. 1310826)
• MG-Schützen: Sgt. Henry Downs (Service Nr. 616823) und Sgt. Peter Wood (Service Nr. 1310876)

Despite all these details, the memory of that crash remains a dark part of history. With his memorial stone, Wieman not only wants to remember the fallen, but also inform the public about these tragic events.

A historical context

As contemporary witnesses reported, the plane had been attacked several times before the crash as it was flying from Ludwigshafen/Frankenthal towards Lambsheim. Headlights illuminated the aircraft before it used its last strength to attempt a safe landing near Maxdorf. It left drag marks in the field, indicating the failed landing attempt. Part of the landing gear was later found in the raft stream, further fueling the investigation and investigation into the crash.

Erik Wieman, hungry for historical enlightenment and the memory of those who died, has taken on this tragic story by planning to transform the site of the event into a quiet place for memories. This kind of commitment is not only commendable, but also important in preserving memories that might otherwise be forgotten.

While local history lovers are pleased with the progress in erecting the memorial stone, the question remains as to how far the commitment to historical projects still extends in our society. There is always room for more remembrance and history in our everyday lives, and perhaps Wieman's project will be the impetus for similar initiatives in other cities.

And what about the technological world? Meanwhile, companies like Apple, which recently published positive quarterly figures, are continuing to advance the discussion about progress and innovation. With sales of $102.5 billion and profits of over $27 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, it shows that progress is not standing still in other areas - an interesting contrast to the thoughtful topics that Wieman's initiative brings us.

We can be curious to see how the culture of remembrance and commemoration will develop in the future and whether projects like Erik Wieman's can provide suggestions for other citizens who want to get involved in the history of their homeland.