The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Appeal to help find any surviving relatives of fallen wartime airman
A Canadian history buff hopes to learn more about a north-east Second World War airman who died when his plane was shot down.
Bob van Wyk, who is of Dutch descent and lives near Woodstock in Ontario, says his father never forgot the morning he was sent to the wreckage of a stricken Lancaster in a field near his farm at Waverveen in Holland, on March 30 1943.
The entire crew died and Mr Van Wyk’s late father, Ted, was among a team of local farmers who were called on by the occupying Germans to collect the crew’s remains.
A memorial now marks the spot. In the years since, the families of almost every crewman were traced by Mr Van Wykand Waverveen historian Chris van der Linden – except those of a man from Aberdeenshire.
Sgt Frank Alexander Bandeen (RAFVR # 1374522) was the son of George and Elizabeth Bandeen, from Garlogie. “My dad never forgot that event,” Mr Van Wyk said. “I was fortunate to make friends with a local amateur historian, Chris van der Linden, of Waverveen. Through his dogged research, he found family members for five of the seven crew.
“Regrettably, Chris was unable to find a living family member for Sgt Bandeen before dying of cancer in August 2019.”
Sgt Bandeen was the flight engineer for an Avro Lancaster from 57 Squadron of Bomber Command, DX-Z.
The squadron was briefly based at RAF Elgin in 1940 before moving to Feltwell then Scampton in 1942 and then East Kirkby in 1943 where it stayed until disbanding in 1945.
Information can be found on the crew of ED761 online at luchtoor l o g w w 2 .w i x s i t e . c o m / waverveen/ 30- 03-1943-1 and Mr Van Wyk’s email is bvk719@hotmail.com