Me 109 loss Normandy 5 August 1944
 

A friend who lives in France has asked me about an Me 109 loss near his house at Couesmes. He has found parts of the aircraft in the locality, one piece nailed to the village bakery roof as a repair patch! He believes it to have been a 7/JG 3 loss on 5 August 1944, Oberfahnr. Paul BEHRENDT being killed. Evidently a local buried Behrendt in the garden of a local Chateau under the supervision of the Germans. The same local says that the aircraft was downed by two allied fighters. It is not my sphere of special interest, and thus I am hoping that forum members might be able to add some detail? I have not checked with the Volksbund myself but my friend tells me he can trace no burial details for Behrendt. If anyone can add details then my friend will be delighted to know about the Messerschmitt that fell, almost, in his back garden.

Andy Saunders

Re: Me 109 loss Normandy 5 August 1944
 

Bf 109G-6, 163795, Behrendt, Ofhr. Paul, , 7., JG 3, gelbe, 11 + |, , , 05-Aug-44, MIA, cause unknown., , FR, Prien, III./JG 3, p.465, , Raum Mortain, 100%, F, ,

Re: Me 109 loss Normandy 5 August 1944
 

Andy: Born 9 Oct 23 in Wolfen, still reported missing near Mortain

Re: Me 109 loss Normandy 5 August 1944
 

Thanks for that.

It would seem that Behrendt must still be buried in an unmarked/unknown grave in the chateau or else, and probably more likely, he was not identified at time of crash or his i/d was somehow lost subsequently and he was re-buried in a German cemetery as unknown. The date 5 August seems certain, so unless there are other "candidates" then I think we can be pretty certain that Behrendt's loss was at Couesmes - not that far from Mortain.

Thanks guys for your help.