Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945

						W/O. Clifford C. King was the wireless operator of Stirling LJ830. This bomber was one of the eleven aircraft from 620 Squadron that took off on 21 September 1944 to drop supplies for the airborne forces in Holland. The Stirling was shot down by either fighters or flak and crashed near Wolfheze. King managed to bail out and soon after joined two other crew members: Sgt. T. Haig (E0781) and F/O. R. Newton (E0783). The walked in westerly direction and were eventually picked up in the morning of 22 September by members of the Orde Dienst (OD) on 'de Dijk', east of Wageningen. Two of them had burn wounds. One of them had als an injury at his leg. The members of the OD brought the three to the farm 'De Wolfswaard' (a/d Rijn 12, Wageningen), between Wagening en the north bank of the Nederrijn River. At 'De Wolfswaard' they joined F/O. John C.L. (Jack) Carey (E0785), the pilot of Stirling LJ946. The four remained here until 23 September. On this day the airmen were brought to the house of family Nijdam at Bowlespark in Wageningen, as the Germans were confiscating all the big buildings along the river. Just after they had arrived here, the four returned to 'de Wolfswaard' at the beginning of the evening as there was an opportunity to take the airmen to the other side of the river. The local commander, Jan van Roekel, miss Kitty van Roekel and Auke Siebenga (who was later arrested and murdered in a concentration camp) rowed the first two airmen to the other bank. Miss K. van Roekel then rowed back and picked up the other two. Somewhere near Randwijk they were handed over to Maj. G.J. Scott Plummer, commander of A. Squadron of the 43rd Recce Corps. The four were free again.