Royal Air Force personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, deployed in Romania conducting the NATO enhanced Air Policing mission, have recently attended a commemoration ceremony in the village of Comana on the outskirts of Bucharest.
The event takes place annually as a tribute to the brave actions of the 150 Squadron Wellington Bomber crew who sadly lost their lives when they crashed near to the village during World War II on the 7th May 1944. The personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing first visited the Commonwealth War Graves site in Tancabesti and conducted a short service of remembrance at the gravesite of the crew members.
The following day a formal commemoration ceremony took place in Comana, attended by the British Ambassador to Romania, Mr Andrew Noble, the British Defence Attaché, Commander Matt Nelson, and the Commanding Officer of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, Wing Commander ‘Dutch’ Holland. In addition to personnel from 140 Expeditionary Air Wing, members of all three services of the UK Armed Forces were present alongside Embassy staff from Bucharest.
The formal commemoration included an Orthodox Christian ceremony at the Comana Monastery and a boat trip to the site of the crash in the Neajlov Delta where Wing Commander Holland placed a wreath on behalf of 140 Expeditionary Air Wing to honour the crew.
"Commemoration events such as this are important in highlighting the unity and close relationship that we have with the local Romanian community. I think it is key that we remember the sacrifice and bravery of all those who served on 150 Sqn, in particular the crew of JA-525, who made the ultimate sacrifice here at Comana. Today’s event, that has been fantastically supported by the local community, has provided a chance for all to reflect on what took place all those years ago."
Wing Commander Holland
Commanding Officer, 140 Expeditionary Air Wing
The Crash
One clear night in 1944, the Wellington Bomber took off on a sortie, flying 1000km to the oil refineries in Romania.
However, just 30km from Bucharest the Bombers engaged with Fighters scrambling to defend the oil installations. JA-525 was hit, causing the right engine to burst into flames.
The Pilot, Warrant Officer Stanley Clarke, decided to abandon the mission and look for a place to land. Realising it would be impossible to avoid the village of Comana, he made the selfless sacrifice to alter the aircraft’s course and crash land into a nearby field, protecting the village and its people.
This field turned out to be a lake. Upon touchdown, the landing gear collapsed and the aircraft rolled in the thick mud. All five crew members died in the accident.
A few days later, the local villagers recovered the crew members and gave them a burial service in the Comana Cemetery. After 1945, their remains were moved to the Bucharest ‘British Heroes Cemetery’ in Tancabesti.
Since the fall of the Communist Regime in Romania the villagers have held an annual commemoration event to honour the sacrifice made by the crew in taking action to avoid the village, saving the lives of others through the loss of their own.
"We must protect the civilian population, not have them as military targets. And I think this is one of the main messages of today’s ceremony and a message that we need to hear across Europe."
Mr Andrew Noble
Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Romania
