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On this page the progress of the excavation can be found.
On september 28th, 2007, the excavation of Hampden P1206 is coming to an end. There's nothing left in the ground that doesn't belong there, excavation officer Paul Petersen says.
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 Only the propeller is left behind in Berkhout. The community will use that for a monument, they don't know yet where it is going to be erected and in what form, but they want the plane and the sacrifices to be remembered with the thing that is the most symbolic part of a plane. |
 The pit is closed, the curtains gone, the excavation has ended. |
September 24. After the state secretary also the minister of defense of the Netherlands, Eimert van Middelkoop, has visited the site. He was very impressed by what he called 'technical archeology'.
 Werner van Rooij shows the minister a Vickers machinegun |
 Test: does the metal detector beep for a watch? |
 Looking at a Browning gun |
September 18th. On the first public presentation at the excavation site, a lot of young people are interested. This morning, the engines and the landing gear are found on a depth of almost 16 feet.
 Looking at a cylinder |
 Salvageman Martin Snikkers and the landing gear |
 Excavation officer Petersen shows one of the found engines. |
 Four rows of people interested in the excavation. |
 Petersen with a scale model of the Hampden. |
 Mayor Sipkes in her opening word. |
September 14: The remainders
of a dinghy are found, including packages with dye marker, pump, ration pack
and wooden parts for repairing leaks. The dye marker was used to be better visible
at sea.
 A Hampden of 408 squadron with an inflated dinghy |
 The dinghy of Hampden P1206 in Berkhout |
 Packages with dye marker, pump, ration pack and wooden parts used to repair a leak |
September
12: Members of the foundation
of Dare help, on invitation of the excavation officer, with the preservation
of important parts of the plane. Because of the lack of oxygene in the fat clay
those parts are in good shape, but exposed to open air, corrosion acts fast.
To be able to dig deeper, the groundwater level is reduced locally. The water
is pumped back in the ground elsewhere.
 Pipes reach 82 feet below the ground to pump back the groundwater that is withdrawn below the dig |
 On of the propellors is found, only the tip is missing |
 Hampden like the P1206 |
September 10th: Public presentations
are postponed after human remains were found. State secretary of home affairs
Bijleveld says, after visiting the place where the plane is excavated, she will
work out a script for excavations each community can benefit from. Next of kin
of Kehoe and Mullenger (Kehoes nieces Margaret Tracey and Carmel McGrath and
Mullengers cousin Ian Sharpe) were guests at the excavationsite.
Look also at the photos on
www.nhd.nl,
video on RTV
Noord-Holland en on the site of Telegraaf
 Mrs. Bijleveld (r) on location |
 Vickers GO MK1 gun |
 Ammunition |
 Captain Petersen shows some parts of the plane |
 Ian Sharpe (r) talks to mayor Sipkes en captain Petersen |
 left to right: Carmel McGrath, Margaret Tracey, mayor Sipkes and Ian Sharpe |
Allready on september 5th,
parts of the wreckage, and of ammunition, are found at approximately 15 inches
depth. The most important part that was found is a cablecutter, this was an
instrument on the edge of the wings that could cut the steel wire of german
barrage balloons, to avoid those wires blocking the propellors. Excavation officire
Paul Petersen said it is a good sign that they allready found several pieces
at such a short depth.
 Cable cutter, left part of a flame marker |
 Ammunition, .30 bullets |
 (c) Pictures Henk de Weerd |
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August 23 and 28, 2007. A dam is build in the ditch at the Westeinde in Berkhout.
It gives access to a temporary road that leads to the spot where the excavation
will be carried out. (Photos fam. Schilder)
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