Information on Luftwaffe men
 

Hi

Can anyone help with additional details on the loss of the following men?

Franz Wittner - 19 April 1944
Erich Hemmerich - 15 May 1944
Georg Schleich - 29 April 1942

Many thanks in advance.

Re: Information on Luftwaffe men
 

1944-04-19, 7./KG 3, He 111H-11, 110138, Geierswalde, Absturz infolge Motorausfall. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Olt Leidel, Siegfried, +
Kampfbeobachter Uffz Beier, Günther, +
Bordfunker Fw Wittner, Franz, +
Bordmechaniker Ofw Märte, Heinrich, +
Bordschütze Uffz Rudolf, Heinz, +
1944-03-15, 11./KG 100, Do 217E-4, 1196, Oberahorn, 5 km ostnordöstlich Feuchtwangen, Bodenberührung. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Ofw Müller, Albrecht, +
Kampfbeobachter Ogfr Höhne, Werner, +
Bordfunker Ogfr Hemmerich, Erich, +
Bordschütze Gefr Forster, Andreas, +
1942-04-29, 8./ZG 26, Bf 110D-3, 4324, 3U+LS, Mittelmeer, Absturz auf See. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Uffz Schleich, Georg, +
Bordfunker Uffz Beck, Werner, +

Matti

Re: Information on Luftwaffe men
 

Hi

Many thanks for this information - much appreciated!

Re: Information on Luftwaffe men
 

I'm proud to inform, that the remains of the wreck of He-111 H-11 mentioned by Matti have been recently found in Gieierswalde (near Hohenstein) in Poland (ex-Reich).

This is a really great coincidence, that a question about one crew member emerged when, at the same time, an expedition went on with Heinkel's wreck excavation without knowing anything about the aircraft's history.

A Polish exploration group from Elblag discovered a wreck of a German bomber near Gierzwald (ex-Geierswalde) some time ago. Finally, in mid-August 2013, a three-day excavation works were performed on site with full support of local authorities and arachaelogical supervision. I wasn't personally involved in the wreck discovery in any way, but helped with a/c recognition. Judging by the elements it quickly turned out to be He-111 in H-11 variant. An eye-witness reported that the crash took place in 1944 "shortly before Hitler's birthday" (20.April). The most possible theory was the only He-111 H-11 lost in April by III./KG 3, which stationed only 20 km from the crash site - at Grieslienen airfield.

Only yesterday such theory was further supported by a result of professional conservation works performed upon a found wallet. It did not include any ID's or significant documents, but it included a hotel card from Hildesheim and paper money incl. these used at Polish occupied territory (GG - Generalgovernment). That could be paired with II./KG 51 and IV./KG 51 which stationed in Lublin (GG) and Hildesheim at the same time. And the personnel of II./KG 51 was, in the beginning of 1944, converted to III./KG 3. As I already mentioned, III./KG 3 lost a single He-111 H-11 in April, while stationed at Grieslienen. The theory seemed to be very reasonable, but still not 100% sure...

And today I found this topic :) What a coincidence - Mathsmal was looking for a bio of a Flieger who died in an accident - and at the same time I was looking for a history of a found Heinkel wreck.

Please, take a look at the photos from wreck's remains excavation:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stowa...35766413166760
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7080644&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7080644&type=3

The discovery even made it to numerous local and even main Polish media :)

Again, I'm under a huge impression of a coincidence and, of course, of a knowledge of Matti!

M.

Re: Information on Luftwaffe men
 

Georg Schleich 13-05-1920, + 29-04-1942 deathcard and other doc https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/thread...0#post-1790412