Heinkel Crash Chobham 24 Sept 1940

[Mikeju53]

Good afternoon to all,

My name is Mike Underwood and I am a lifelong aviation enthusiast, having spent all my working life in the industry. I am seeking information regarding the crash of an He111 on common land in the centre of our village (West End near Chobham, Surrey) on 24th September 1940. I understand that it was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Weybridge. The crew jettisoned the bombload to no avail and bailed out (I believe they all survived). There is a picture of the burnt-out wreck HERE (http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/surrey/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8976000/8976081.stm).

I found one article which suggests it was 1H+GP, w/n 3322, of 6/Kg26. I've found no other reference to confirm this, so I'd be grateful if you could provide confirmation of the aircraft identity and the unit to which it belonged. Also, I'd be interested to know what 6/Kg26 were tasked with on this date. Were they attacking Brooklands or is this coincidence? Does anyone have details regarding the crew?

My interest in this event is twofold. Firstly, I am helping to update a publication on the history of the village and factual information about the crash would be very helpful. Secondly, my father, who was in his teens at the time, tried to make off with one of the wheels but was hauled back by the local constable, which was a shame, as I would now be the proud owner of an excellent souvenir!

I'd be most grateful for any info you may have, or suggestions as to where I might look. Many thanks in advance.

Mike U

[hucks216]

Volume 4 of Luftwaffe Crash Archive has just over 2 pages of information on the crash although 2 pages show photos of the crash and details of previous sorties of the crew. The aircraft details you give are correct. It took off from Amiens at 2200 bound for London but the crew got lost and dropped their bombs in the wrong place, approx 20 miles from the intended target.
It was caught in searchlights from the 460th Battery, 70th AA Searchlight Regiment and shot down by AA fire.

Pilot: Unteroffizier Karl Niemeyer
Observer: Gefreiter Heinrich Leipnitz
Radio Op: Gefreiter Stephan Weinlig
Engineer: Gefreiter Werner Jenreck

All the crew bailed out and survived.

[Mikeju53]

Thank you, Hucks216, that just the reply I was hoping for! The book you mention is now on order.

I have come across a statement from a local historian that the aircraft was equipped with "an experimental form of radar(?) for the blind location of targets." Having read up on the types of equipment this could have been, presumably this refers to Knickebein (I understand use of X-Gerät was limited to Kgr100 at this stage.) Was Knickebein in widespread use by bomber units such as Kg26?

Thanks again,

Mike

[Chris Goss]

X Gerät was KGr 100 Y Gerät III./KG 26 Knickebein more commonplace as it was based on the Lorenz blind landing system. Would not describe any as radar though

[Mikeju53]

I agree about the "radar" description, hence the question mark. In defence of the person who wrote it, she was not a techie and was probably repeating something she was told. So Knickebein it is.

It does beg the question whether the system was in use for the 24/9/40 raid, and if so, how the crew of 1H+GP got so far off course!

[hucks216]

...It does beg the question whether the system was in use for the 24/9/40 raid, and if so, how the crew of 1H+GP got so far off course!

According to the entry in the previously mentioned book, that aircrew was using it.

[Chris Goss]

The K report would indicate they were using navigational bearings so perhaps not

[hucks216]

Yep, my mistake - just re-read it.

[Mikeju53]

Thank you to ll of you that have added your knowledge, it's really helpful.
I now have Volume 4. It's amazing that it only covers 2 1/2 weeks!


As I am new to all this, please can someone explain how to interpret the line of info above the crew names? In the case of the Heinkel crash, it reads:-


ID: 53576 AW: White, Lubeck 20/8/40, FP: L 04345 Hamburg


Many tks
Mike

[hucks216]

I assume that they found a form of ID for one of the crew with the first number being the issue number of the pass. AW meaning Ausweis which was white and issued in Luebeck on 20/08/1940. FP means Feldpost and L04345 is the Feldpost Nr for 11./KG-26 during that period. It would be reallocated to an SS unit in 1942.

[hucks216]

Here is a late war version of one.

[Nick Beale]

Just to add that FP is the German equivalent of BFPO (British Forces Post Office).