Ww2 German bomber crash nr Appledore station, kent
 

Hi ,
I am after some help regarding a German bomber that crashed nr appledore station (romney marsh) kent .my father in law who is now 80 , remembers it crashing near his grandmothers house where he lived a boy ,also one of the young crew (off 4)who had bailed out , knocked on the door and was taken in and given tea and kept there till the local authorities arrived! It crashed in to railway embankment approx a mile from the station , the engines buried deep in to ground and wings sheered of on impact . Unfortunatly there are no dates when this occurred , but any help where I might be able to find out what the plane could be or a date when it could have happened ,would be a great help !

Regards
Matt

Re: Ww2 German bomber crash nr Appledore station, kent
 

Hi Matt,

I don't know if you had any luck with your search, but I found the following which could be it:

18th August 1940. 2/KG1.
Heinkel He111H. Sortie to Biggin Hill a/f. Damaged by RAF Spitfires of 65 Squadron and RAF Hurricanes of 32 Squadron and force-landed near Snargate, near Appledore, Kent, 1.30pm. Uffz. Helmut Gericke (Bm) died of injuries same day in Rye Hospital (Buried at Folkestone New Cemetery). Lt. Rudolf Ahrens (FF), Oberfw. Ernst Katzmarski (B), Uffz. Georg Schneider (Bf), Flgr. Kurt Natzke (Bs) captured unhurt. Aircraft V4+GK set on fire by crew.

Snargate is just over a mile from Appledore Station, and the railway line runs just to the west of Snargate. I know some of your details don't match, but I can't find any other German bomber that crashed in the area of Appledore Station.

Regards,
Steve

Re: Ww2 German bomber crash nr Appledore station, kent
 

I have 2 photos of the crash plus a photo of Aherns & I believe an account from him of the crash

Re: Ww2 German bomber crash nr Appledore station, kent
 

Hi Chris, I for one would be very interested in seeing the 2 photos and reading the account of the crash.
Also, would I be allowed to share the photos and account to my Facebook group, Identifying Crashed Heinkel He111 Aircraft, https://www.facebook.com/groups/766387750187959/
Regards,
Steve

Re: Ww2 German bomber crash nr Appledore station, kent
 

The photos of the wreckage are on page 107 of my The Luftwaffe Bombers Battle of Britain and Ahren's story on 89 & 96 of Alfred Price's The Hardest Day. I should say it belly landed and the pilot set fire to the plane so might not be the one your father remembers as the engines were certainly not buried