Results

Input Aircraft
Aircraft	Database entry
Fokker G-1	G-1
Fokker D.21	D-XXI
Douglas D8	D8
Fokker C.5	C-V
Fokker T-8	T-8
Arado 66	Ar 66
Messerschmitt 109	Bf 109
Messerschmitt 262	Me 262
Dakota (RAF)	Dakota
C-47 (USAAF)	C-47
Fotress (RAF)	Fortress
B-17 (USAAF)	B-17
DeHavilland Moth	D.H.60
Fieseler Storch	Fi 156
Focke Wulf 200	Fw 200

Input Date
Date	Database entry
22nd June 43	22-06-43
15th October 42	15-10-42
5th March 43	05-03-43

Input Unit
Unit	Database entry
all on KG 4	/KG 4
all on JG 1	/JG 1
4FG/335FS	/335FS
all on 106 Sqdn	106 Sqdn
91BG/323BS	323BS
1 Lvr	1 Lvr

Evader chart: E0498
SGLO	Date crash	Aircraft
T3685	22-05-44	Lancaster
MilRank	First Name(s)	Name
Sgt.	Denis	Sharpe
Milregnr.	Nationality	Born
1874700	British	13 Jul 1924

Returned Y/N	Evader Fate	Date Captured/Liberated	Place Captured/Liberated	Escape Line
No	EVD	15 Nov 1944	Leveroij	-

Evader Story
Sgt. Denis Sharpe was the flight engineer of Lancaster ME722 that was shot down by a German night fighter, just past midnight on May 22, 1944. Francis bailed out in time and landed near Zwollerkerspel, north of Zwolle. After he landed, he met fellow crewmember Sgt. Charles ‘ Joe’ Francis (E0496) and somehow they got in touch with the ‘De Groene’ resistance group from Zwolle. Both airmen were taken to the house boat of Jan Graver that was moored in the Vecht River close to where it joins the ‘Zwarte Water’. Much is unclear about their further travels but by mid July 1944, both airmen appear at the ‘Eijkhof’ farm of the Van Staveren family in Veulen where they joined the Americans 2/Lt. John Fullerton (E0585) and Sgt. Frank Peichoto (E0587). Two other Americans arrived there as well, S/Sgt. Frank Garofalo (E0569) and 2/Lt. Richard Tracy (E0600). On July 19, these six men travelled to Oostrom and from there it went by train to Jos Ronden (alias ‘De Witte’) in Sittard. Ronden delivered the airmen to policeman F. Buding in Hoensbroek. Another source indicates that Garofalo and Tracy joined the other four airmen in Nuth near Hoensbroek. The plan to cross the Dutch-Belgian border near Maastricht had to be abandoned and after two weeks in Hoensbroek, the six airmen were put on the train to Roermond. From the station there, they were taken to the ‘De Bedelaer’ estate near Haelen where they hid in the woods around the estate. In case of danger, they could go to the ‘De Spikkerhof’, an isolated farm near the estate. Early in September 1944 they moved to the farm of the Mooren family in Kelpen and from there to a barn in Leveroij. Their hiding place there became anxiously close to the front line in the aftermath of Operation Constellation. Early November, Fullerton returned to Kelpen to find help for his fellow evaders who stayed in Leveroij. Sharpe and his fellow evaders were liberated on November 15, 1944, when the 51st Scottish Division arrived in Leveroij. Denis Sharpe paased away on 20 May 2020 at the age of 96.
* National Archives, Washington, EE-2678 and EE-2679

Evader Story

Sgt. Denis Sharpe was the flight engineer of Lancaster ME722 that was shot down by a German night fighter, just past midnight on May 22, 1944. Francis bailed out in time and landed near Zwollerkerspel, north of Zwolle. After he landed, he met fellow crewmember Sgt. Charles ‘ Joe’ Francis (E0496) and somehow they got in touch with the ‘De Groene’ resistance group from Zwolle. Both airmen were taken to the house boat of Jan Graver that was moored in the Vecht River close to where it joins the ‘Zwarte Water’. Much is unclear about their further travels but by mid July 1944, both airmen appear at the ‘Eijkhof’ farm of the Van Staveren family in Veulen where they joined the Americans 2/Lt. John Fullerton (E0585) and Sgt. Frank Peichoto (E0587). Two other Americans arrived there as well, S/Sgt. Frank Garofalo (E0569) and 2/Lt. Richard Tracy (E0600).

On July 19, these six men travelled to Oostrom and from there it went by train to Jos Ronden (alias ‘De Witte’) in Sittard. Ronden delivered the airmen to policeman F. Buding in Hoensbroek. Another source indicates that Garofalo and Tracy joined the other four airmen in Nuth near Hoensbroek. The plan to cross the Dutch-Belgian border near Maastricht had to be abandoned and after two weeks in Hoensbroek, the six airmen were put on the train to Roermond. From the station there, they were taken to the ‘De Bedelaer’ estate near Haelen where they hid in the woods around the estate. In case of danger, they could go to the ‘De Spikkerhof’, an isolated farm near the estate.

Early in September 1944 they moved to the farm of the Mooren family in Kelpen and from there to a barn in Leveroij. Their hiding place there became anxiously close to the front line in the aftermath of Operation Constellation. Early November, Fullerton returned to Kelpen to find help for his fellow evaders who stayed in Leveroij. Sharpe and his fellow evaders were liberated on November 15, 1944, when the 51st Scottish Division arrived in Leveroij.

Denis Sharpe paased away on 20 May 2020 at the age of 96.

Source(s)

* National Archives, Washington, EE-2678 and EE-2679

Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945